THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


INTERESTING  EVENTS 

IN   THE 

axsionir 

OF   THE 

UNITED  STATES: 

BEING   A 

SELECTION    OF   THE    MOST    IMPORTANT    AND 
INTERESTING  EVENTS 

WHICH  HAVE  TRANSPIRED 

SINCE  THE  DISCOVERY  OF  THIS  COUNTRY 
TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


Carefully  selected  from  the  most  approved  Authorities, 

BY  J.  W.  BARBER. 


NEW-HAVEN  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  W.  BARBER^ 

L.K.DOW,  PRINTER. 

1828. 


DISTB7CT  OF  CONNECTICUT,  ss. 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  That  on  on  the  twenty- 
(first  day  of  October,  in  the  fifty-third  year  of 
the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  Ame 
rica,  JOHN  W.  BARBER,  of  the  said  District* 
hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  title  of  a  Book,  the  right 
whereof  he  claims  as  Author,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit : 
"  Interesting  Events  in  the  History  of  the  United  States, 
being  a  selection  of  the  most  important  and  interesting-  events 
which  have  transpired  since  the  discovery  of  the  country  to 
the  present  time.  Carefully  selected  from  the  most  appro 
ved  authorities.  By  J.  W.  Barber." 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
entitled,  "  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by 
securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to  the  au 
thors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the  times  therein 
mentioned." — And  also  to  the  act,  entitled,  "An  act  supple 
mentary  to  an  act,  entitled,  'An  act  for  the  encouragement 
of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and 
feooks,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during 
the  times  therein  mentioned,*  and  extending  the  benefits, 
thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  his 
torical  and  other  prints.'* 

CHAS.  A.  INGERSOLL, 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  Connecticut, 
A  fcree  copy  of  Record,  examined  and  sealed  by  me, 
CHAS.  A.  INGERSOLL, 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  Connecticut 


PREFACE. 


AUTHENTIC  accounts  of  important  events  which  hare  f&- 
ken  place  in  past  ages  are  of  much  utility  :  especially  to  the 
countries  and  people  whose  affairs  are  related.  In  a  country 
like  ours,  it  seems  necessary  to  the  existence  of  true  and  en 
lightened  patriotism,  that  every  person  should  possess  some 
knowledge  of  the  history  of  his  own  country.  By  the  aid  of 
history,  we  can  call  up  past  scenes  and  events  in  review— 
we  can  see  the  effects  they  have  had  upon  the  nations  before 
us,  and  from  thence  we  can  learn  wisdom  for  the  future. 
It  is,  in  reality,  interesting  and  instructive  to  every  intelli 
gent  mind,  to  be  transported  back  to  the  time  of  the  first 
settlement  of  our  country,  to  observe  the  courage,  fortitude^ 
and  self-denial  of  our  forefathers,  amidst  many  surrounding; 
dangers,  difficulties,  and  privations, — their  unconquerable 
love  of  freedom, — the  resistance  they  manifested  to  tyrannj 
in  all  its  shapes, — and  the  final  success  of  their  efforts  to 
preserve  the  freedom  and  independence  of  their  country 
entire. 

This  work  is  not  designed  for  the  information  of  those  who 
are  conversant  with  the  history  of  onr  country  in  all  its 
parts  ;  (this  class  of  community  is  comparatively  small ;)  ..  JL 
for  those  who  cannot  spare  the  time  or  expense  of  reading1 
or  procuring  a  full  and  complete  history.  The  object  of  the 
work  is  to  give  an  account,  in  a  short  but  comprehensive 
manner,  of  the  most  important  and  interesting  events  which 
have  taken  place  in  our  country,  nearly  all  of  which  are 
arranged  in  chronological  order.  Those  events  which 
a^e  deemed  of  minor  importance,  are  inserted  in  the 


nological  Tables,  at  the  end  of  the  book,   as  «r«*y 
which  is  mentioned  could  not  he  detailed,  witljo^t  swe*lm£ 
the  book  to  an  expensive  size. 

It  is  believed  that  this  work  will  be  found  useful  as  a  Re* 
ference  Book,  for  events  recorded  in  American  History^ 
there  being-,  it  is  presumed,  no  event  of  any  very  coasiJera* 
ble  importance,  which  is  not  noticed  in  this  work. 

In  making-  the  selection  of  events,  care  has  been  take* 
to  consult  the  most  approved  authorities,  and  the  Compiler 
would  here  state,  that  he  feels  himself  under  particular  obli 
gations  to  Holmes'1  American  Annals,  the  most  valuable 
work  of  the  kind  which  has  ever  appeared  in  this  country,— 
a  work  from  which  a  great  proportion  of  late  Histories  of 
the  United  States-  have  been  benefitted,  either  directly  or 
indirectly. 

Other  authors  have  also  been  consulted,  and  extracts 
taken  from  them  in  many  instances,  as  will  be  perceived  in 
examining  the  work.  The  numerous  engravings  intersper 
sed  through  the  book,  it  is  thought  will  be  of  utility  in 
making  the  work  interesting,  and  of  fixing  the  facts  more 
Srmly  in  the  mind.  J.  W.  B, 

HATJMI,  October,  182% 


fit/if .  ,<r//i//i 


11 

The  Indians  of  this  country  were  generally  Po- 
Jytheists,  or  believed  in  a  plurality  of  Gods.  Some 
were  considered  as  local  deities;  yet  they  believed 
that  there  was  one  Supreme  God,  or  Great  Spirit, 
the  Creator  of  the  rest,  and  of  all  creatures  and 
things.  Him,  the  natives  of  New  England  called 
Kichtan.  They  believed  that  good  men,  at  death, 
ascended  to  Kichtan,  above  the  heavens,  where 
they  enjoyed  their  departed  friends  and  all  good 
things  ;  that  bad  men  also  went  and  knocked  at  the 
gate  of  glory,  but  Kichtan  bade  them  depart,  for 
there  was  no  place  for  such,  whence  they  wander 
ed  in  restless  poverty.  This  Supreme  Being  they 
held  to  be  good,  and  prayed  to  Him  when  they  de 
sired  any  great  favor,  and  paid  a  sort  of  acknowl 
edgment  to  Him,  for  plenty,  victory,  &c.  The 
manner  of  worship  in  many  tribes,  was  to  sing  and 
dance  around  a  large  fire. 

There  was  another  power  which  they  called  Hob- 
bamock,  in  English  the  Devil,  of  whom  they  stood 
in  greater  awe,  and  worshipped  him  merely  from  a 
principle  of  fear,  and  it  is  said  that  they  sometimes 
even  sacrificed  their  own  children  to  appease  him.* 
They  prayed  to  him  to  heal  their  wounds  and  dis 
eases.  When  found  curable,  he  was  supposed  to  be 
the  author  of  their  complaints;  when  they  were 
mortal,  they  were  ascribed  to  Kichtan,  whose  dis 
eases  none  were  able  to  remove  ;  therefore  they 
never  prayed  to  him  in  sickness.  Their  priests, 
which  were  called  Powaws,  and  their  chief  warri 
ors,  pretended  often  to  see  Hobbarnock  in  the  shape 
of  a  man,  fawn,  or  eagle,  but  generally  of  a  snake, 
who  gave  them  advice  in  their  difficult  undertakings. 
The  duty  and  office  of  the  Powaws,  was  to  pray  to 

*Morse  and  Parish's  Hist,  of  N.  E. 


12 

Hobbamock  for  the  removal  of  evils ;  the  common 
people  said  amen.  In  his  prayer  the  Powaw  pro 
mised  skins,  kettles,  hatchets,  beads,  &c.  as  sacri 
fices,  if  his  request  should  be  granted. 

The  apparent  insensibility  of  the  Indians  under 
pains  and  wounds  is  well  known  ;  yet  they  had  aw 
ful  apprehensions  of  death. 

When  sick,  and  all  hope  of  recovery  was  gone, 
their  bursting  sobs  and  sighs,  their  wringing  hands, 
their  flowing  tears,  and  dismal  cries  and  shrieks, 
were  enough  to  excite  sympathy  from  the  hardest 
heart.  Their  affection  was  very  strong  for  their 
children,  who  by  indulgence  were  saucy  and  undu- 
tiful.  A  father  would  sometimes,  through  grief  arid 
rage  for  the  loss  of  a  child,  stab  himself.  Some 
tribes  of  Indians  would  not  allow  of  mentioning  the 
name  of  a  friend  after  death.  When  a  person  died, 
they  generally  buried  him  with  his  bow  and  arrows, 
dogs,  and  whatever  was  valuable  to  him  while  liv 
ing,  supposing  he  would  want  them  in  another 
world,  as  their  ideas  of  the  happiness  of  heaven 
consisted  in  finding  plenty  of  game,  feasting,  &c. 

The  Indians  appeared  to  have  distinct  traditions 
of  the  creation  and  deluge,  and  some  of  their  words, 
rites  and  ceremonies,  bear  a  strong  affinity  to  those 
of  the  ancient  Hebrews. 


(2.)  Expeditions  of  Ferdinand  de  Soto  and  M.  de 
la  Salle. 

The  Mississippi  was  first  discovered  by  Ferdinand 
de  Soto  in  1541,  and  Father  Hennepin,  (a  French 
Catholic  Missionary,)  and  Monsieur  de  la  Salle  were 
the  first  Europeans  that  traversed  it.  Soto  had 


13 

served  under  Pizarro  in  the  conqdest  of  Peru,  with 
such  reputation  that  the  King  of  Spain  entrusted  him 
with  the  government  of  Cuba,  with  the  rank  of  Ge 
neral  of  Florida,  and  Marquis  of  the  lands  he 
should  conquer. 

Soto  collected  a  body  of  900  foot  and  350  horse, 
for  an  expedition  into  Florida,  where  he  landed  in 
May,  1539.  From  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  he  pene 
trated  into  the  country  northward,  and  wandered 
about  in  search  of  gold,  exposed  to  famine,  hard 
ships  and  the  opposition  of  the  natives.  He  pursu 
ed  his  course  north  to  the  country  inhabited  by  the 
Chickasaws,  where  he  spent  a  winter.  He  then 
crossed  the  Mississippi,  being,  the  first  European 
that  had  discovered  that  vast  river.  After  a  long 
march  into  the  country  westward,  in  which  Soto  di 
ed,  the  remains  of,  his  troops  returned  to  the  Mis 
sissippi.  Here  they  built  a  number  of  small  ves 
sels,  in  which  they  sailed  down  the  stream,  and 
made  the  best  of  their  way  to  Panuco,  in  Mexico, 
where  they  arrived  in  September,  1543.  In  this 
extraordinary  expedition,  of  more  than  four  years 
duration,  in  search  of  gold  in  the  wilderness,  and 

among  hostile  savages,  more  than  half  the  men  per- 

•  i    j  j,  ° 

isned. 

Father  Hennepin,  a  missionary  of  the  Francis 
can  order,  and  M.  de  la  Salle,  with  a  party  of  men, 
embarked  from  fort  Frontenac,  in  Canada,  in  Nov. 
1678.  After  having  passed  through  Lakes  Ontario, 
Erie,  Huron,  and  Michigan,  and  carried  their  ca 
noes  over  land  to  the  head  of  the  Illinois  river, 
Hennepin  passed  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missis 
sippi.  He  set  out  upon  his  return  to  Canada,  where 
he  arrived  in  1681,  after  having  passed  through  ma 
ny  hardships  and  difficulties ,  in  this  perilous  enter- 

*Webster'g  Elements  of  Useful  Knowledge,  VoL  I. 
2* 


14 

prize  among  the  savages,  who  for  some  time  detained 
him  as  a  prisoner. 

M.  de  la  Salle  returned  to  France ;  and  from  the 
flattering  account  he  gave  of  the  country,  and  the 
advantages  that  would  accrue  from  settling  a  colony 
in  those  parts,  Louis  XV,  was  induced  to  establish 
a  company  for  that  purpose.  Salle  embarked,  with, 
an  intention  to  settle  near  the  mouth  of  the  Missis 
sippi.  But  through  mistake  lie  sailed  100  leagues 
to  the  westward  of  it,  where  he  attempted  to,  settle 
a  colony;  but  through  the  unfavorableness  of  the 
.climate,  most  of  his  men  miserably  perished,  and 
he  himself  was  villanously  murdered,  not  long  after, 
by  two  of.  his  own. men. 


(3.)  Introduction  of  the  use  of  Tobacco. 

This  singular  native  American  plant,,  appears  to 
have  been  used  by  the  Indians  in  all  parts  of  Ameri 
ca.  It  is  said  it  was  first  discovered  by  the  Span 
iards  in  15*20,  near  the  town  of  Tobasco,  in  Mexico., 
The  Mexicans  used  it  copiously,  not  only  in  smoke 
in  the  mouth,  but  also  in  snuff  at  the  nose. 

"  In  order  to  smoke  it,"  says  the  historian,  "  they 
put  the  leaves,  with  the  gum  of  liquid  amber,  and, 
other  hot  and  odorous  herbs,  into  a  little  pipe  of 
reed,  or  wood,  or  some  other  more  valuable  sub 
stance".  They  received  the  smoke  by  sucking  the 
pipe  and  shutting  the  nostrils  with  their  fingers,  so, 
lhat  it  might  pass  more  easily,  by  the  breath,  into 
the  lungs/'  It  was  such  a  luxury,  that  the  lords  of 
Mexico  were  accustomed  to  compose  themselves  to 
sleep  with  it. 

In  the  account  of  Cartier's  voyage  in  1535,  we 
find  it  used  in  Canada  ;  it  is  thus  described  : — 
:  There  groweth  a  certaine  kinde  of  herbe,  whereof 


Tirirmia 


15. 

in.  Sommer  they  make  great  provision  for  all  the-, 
yeer,  making  great  account  of  it,  and  onely  men 
use  of  it,  and  first  they  cause  it  to  be  dried  in  the 
sunne,  then  weare  it  about  their  necks  wrapped  in 
a  little  beastes  skinne,  made  like  a  little  bagge, 
with  a  hollow  piece  of  stone  or  wood  like  a  pipe  : 
then  when  they  please  they  make  pouder  of  it,  and 
then  put  it  in  one  of  the  ends  of  the  said  cornet,  or 
pipe,  and  laying  a  cole  of  fire  upon  it,  at  the  other 
ende,  suckeso  long,  that  they  fill  their  bodies  full  of 
smoke,  till  it  commeth  out  of  their  mouth  and  nos 
trils,  even  as  out  of  the  tonnell  of  a  chimney." 

Tobacco  was  carried  into  England  from  Virgjn- 
ia,  by  Mr.  Lane,  in  1586.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  a 
man  of  gaiety  and  fashion,  adopting  the  Indian 
usage  of  smoking,  and  by  his  interest  and  example, 
introducing  it  at  court,,  the  pipe. soon  became  fash 
ionable.  It  was  in  vain  that  parliament  discoura 
ged  the  use  of  this  "  vile  Indian  weed."  In  vain 
King  James  assured  his  subjects,  that  the  cus 
tom  of  smoking  it  was  loathsome  to  the  eyes,  hate 
ful  to  the  nose,  harmful  to  the  brain,  and  danger 
ous  to  the  lungs.  Opposition  made  proselytes;  and 
the  united  influence  of  fashion  and  habit,  extended 
the  practice  through  the  kingdom.* 

Tobacco  was  first  cultivated  by  the  English  in 
Virginia,  about  the  year  1616  ; — from  that  time  to. 
the  present,  it  has  ever  been  one  of  the  staple  pro 
ductions  of  that  state. 


(4.)  Settlement  of  Jamestown,  (Virg.) 

"North   America   was   discovered    in   a  period 
when  the  Arts  and  Sciences  had  made  very  eonside- 

"Holmes'  American  Annalav 


16 

rafale  progress  in  Europe.  Many  of  the  first  ad 
venturers  were  men  of  genius  and  learning,  and 
were  careful  to  preserve  authentic  records  of  such 
of  their  proceedings  as  would  be  interesting  to  pos 
terity.  These  records  afford  ample  documents  for 
American  historians.  Perhaps  no  people  on  the 
globe,  can  trace  the  history  of  their  origin  and 
progress  with  so  much  precision,  as  the  inhabit 
ants  of  North  America  ;  particularly  that  part  of 
them  who  inhabit  the  territory  of  the  United  States." 

The  first  European  who  discovered  the  coast  of 
the  United  States,  was  John  Cabot,  a  Venitian,  who 
was  employed  by  Henry  VII.  of  England,  to  make 
discoveries.  What  is  now  called  the  Island  of  New 
foundland  was  first  seen  by  him,  and  sailing  thence 
in  a  westerly  direction,  he  ranged  the  coast  to  Flo 
rida.  This  was  in  the  year  1497 — about  five  years 
after  the  first  discoveries  of  Columbus. 

After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  to  establish  a 
permanent  settlement,  Capt.  Christopher  Newport 
was  sent  out  by  a  company  in  England,  with  1 50  co 
lonists.  After  a  voyage  of  four  months  they  enter 
ed  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  proceeded  up  a  river 
called  by  the  natives  Powhattan,  (now  James  Riv 
er,)  and  landed,  May,  1607,  at  the  place  which  now 
bears  the  name  of  Jamestown.  This  was  the  first 
permanent  colony  in  North  America. 


(5.)  Pocahontas. 

Among  the  most  enterprising  and  brave  of  the 
Virginia  settlers  was  Capt.  John  Smith.  Under  a 
pretext  of  commerce,  he  was  drawn  into  an  ambush 
of  a  numerous  body  of  Indians*,  who  seized  and 
carried  him  in  triumph  to  Powhattan  their  king* 


IT 

Powhattan  sentenced  him  to  death.  Gapt  Smith 
was  led  out  and  his  head  placed  upon  a  large  stone, 
to  receive  the  fatal  blow.  At  this  moment  Pnca- 
hontas,  the  youngest  and  darling  daughter  of  Pow 
hattan,  then  thirteen  years  old,  rushed  to  the  spot 
where  Capt.  Smith  lay,  threw  her  arms  about  his 
neck,  and  placed  her  own  head  on  his,  declaring  that 
if  the  cruel  sentence  was  executed  the  first  blow 
should  fall  on  her.  The  sachem  was  moved — yield 
ed  to  the  entreaties  of  his  daughter,  and  consented 
to  spare  his  victim  upon  the  conditions  of  a  ransom. 
The  ransom  was  paid — Capt.  Smith  was  then  relea 
sed,  and  returned,  unhurt,  to  Jamestown. 

(6.)  Jamestown  saved. 

In  1609,  two  or  three  years  after  Pocahontas  sa 
ved  the  life  of  Capt.  Smith,  Powhattan  formed  a 
horrid  scheme  for  the  entire  destruction  of  the  colo-- 
ny  at  Jamestown.  His  project  was  to  attack  them 
in  time  of  peace,  and  cut  the  throats  of  the  whole 
colony. 

In  a  dark  and  stormy  night,  Pocahontas,  like  an 
angel  of  mercy,  hastened  alone  to  Jamestown  and 
discovered  the  inhuman  plot  of  her  father.  The 
colonists,  thus  warned,  took  proper  measures  to  re 
pel  the  insidious  attack. 

Pocahontas,  after  this,  was  married  to  an  English 
man,  named  Rolfe,  with  whom  she  went  to  England. 
She  embraced  the  Christian  religion  and  took  the 
baptismal  name  of  Rebecca,  After  a  residence  of 
several  years  in  England,  during  which  lime  she 
exemplified  the  religion  she  professed,  she  died  as 
she  was  about  embarking  for  America. 

She  left  an  only  son,  who  was  married  and  left 


18 


none  but  daughters  ;  from  them  descended  some  cf 
the  most  respectable  families  in  Virginia. 


(7.)  Plymouth  Settlers. 

The  colony  at  Plymouth,  Mass,  (the  first  Euro 
pean  settlement  in  New  England,)  was  planted 
principally  for  the  sake  of  the  free  and  undisturbed 
enjoyment  of  religious  and  civil  liberty.  The  colo 
nists  were  originally  from  the  north  of  England ; 
and  were  of  that  class  of  people  in  those  days  cal 
led  Puritans,  so  named  from,  their  uncommon  zeal 
in  endeavoring  to  preserve  the  purity  of  divine 
worship. 

Being  persecuted  by  their  enemies,  during  the 
reign  of  James  I.,  they  fled  with  their  pastor,  to 
Amsterdam  in  Holland,  in  1608.  They  afterwards 
removed  to  Leyden,  where  they  remained  till  they 
sailed  for  America. 

Having  resolved  upon  a  removal,  they  procured 
two  small  ships  and  repaired  to  Plymouth,  (Eng.) 
and  from  thence  they  proceeded  about  100  leagues 
on  their  voyage,  when  they  were  compelled  to  re 
turn,  in  consequence  of  one  of  the  ship*',  being 
leaky.  This  ship  was  condemned,  and  the  other,  cal 
led  the  May  Flower,  being  crowded  with  passengers, 
again  put  to  sea,  Sept.  G  ;  on  the  9th  of  November, 
after  a  dangerous  passage,  they  arrived  at  Cape 
Cod,  and  the  next  day  anchored  in  the  harbor  which 
is  formed  by  the  hook  of  the  Cape. 

Before  they  landed,  having  devoutly  given 
thanks  to  God  for  their  safe  arrival,  they  formed 
themselves  into  a  "body  politic,"  and  chose  Mr, 
John  Carver  their  Governor  for  the  first  year. 


19 

Their  next  object  was  to  fix  on  a  convenient 
place  for  settlement.  In  doing  this  they  encounter 
ed  many  difficulties — many  of  them  were  sick  in 
consequence  of  the  fatigues  of  a  long  voyage — 
their  provisions  were  bad — the  season  was  uncom 
monly  cold — the  Indian?,  though  afterwards  friend«- 
ly,  were  now  hostile — and  they  were  unacquainted 
with  the  coast.  These  difficulties  they  surmounted ; 
and  on  the  22d  of  December.  1620,  they  safely 
landed  at  a  place  which  they  named  Plymouth. 
The  anniversary  of  their  landing  is  still  celebrated 
by  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims.,  as  a  religious 
festival. 

The  whole  company  that  landed  consisted,  of  but 
101  souls.  Their  situation  and  prospects  were  tru 
ly  dismal  and  discouraging.  The  nearest  Europe 
an  settlement  w.as  500  miles  distant,  and  utterly  in 
capable  of  affording  them  relief  .in  time  of  famine 
or  danger.  Wherever  they  turned  their  eyes,  dis 
tress  was  before  them.  "  Persecuted  in  their  native 
land  —  grievecl  for  profanation  of , the  holy  Sabbath, 
and  other  licentiousness  in  Holland — fatigued  by 
their  long  and.boisterous  voyage— forced  on  a  dan 
gerous  and  unknown. shore  in  the  advance  of  a  cold 
-winter — surrounded  with  hostile  barbarians,  without 
any  hope  of  human  succor — denied  the  aid  or  fa 
vor  of  the  court  of  England — without  a  patent — 
without  a  public  promise  of  the  peaceable  enjoy 
ment  of  their  religious  liberties — without  convenient, 
shelter  &?om  the  rigors  of  the  weather. — Such  were 
the  prospects,  and  such  the  situation  of  these  pious 
and  solitary  Christians.  To  add  to  their  distresses, 
a  very  mortal  sickness  prevailed  among  them,  which 
swept  off  forty-six  of  their  number  before  the  ensu 
ing  spring. 


20 

"  To  support  them  under  these  trials,  they  had 
weed  of  all  the  aids  and  comforts  which  Christianity 
affords;  and  these  were  found  sufficient.  The  free 
and  unmolested  enjoyment  of  their  religion,  recon 
ciled  them  to  their  lonely  situation — they  bore  their 
hardships  with  unexampled  patience,  and  perseve 
red  in  their  pilgrimage  of  almost  unparalleled  trials, 
with  such  resignation  and  calmness,  as  gave  proof 
of  great  piety  and  unconquerable  virtue." 


(8.)  Discovery  of  Indian  Corn. 

Before  the  Settlers  landed  at  Plymouth,  (hey  sent 
out  a  number  of  parties  to  explore  the  country. 
One  of  these  parties  consisted  of  sixteen  men,  under 
Capt.  Miles  Standish.  In  their  route  they  discover 
ed  several  small  hillocks  which  they  conjectured 
to  bo  the  graves  of  the  Indians,  but  proceeding  still 
further  they  discovered  many  more,  and  on  closer 
'examination  each  hillock  was  found  to  contain  a 
considerable  quantity  of  Indian  Corn!  It  was  buried 
in  the  ear,  and  excited  in  no  small  degree  their  curi 
osity.  By  a  few  of  the  company  it  was  thought  a 
valuable  discovery;  others,  who  had  tasted  the  corn 
in  its  raw  state,  thought  it  indifferent  food  and  of 
•but  little  value. 

This  corn  served  them  for  seed  in  the  ensuing 
spring.  They  were  instructed  by  Squanto,  a  friend 
ly  Indian,  how  to  raise  it,  and  it  was  probably  the 
means  of  preserving  them  from  famine.  * 


(9.)  Massasoit,  the  Indian  Sachem* 

The  infant  colony  at   Plymouth  were  much  in 
debted  to  the  friendship  and  influence  of  Massasoit 


Ma  s  ;?  a  elms  *tt  g 


a  powerful  Prince  or  Sachem  in  those  parts.  About 
three  months  nfter  their  establishment  they  received 
a  visit  from  Massasoit  with  sixty  of  his  men.  They 
were  conducted  to  the  Governor  who  received  them 
with  military  parade.  The  Governor  and  Massa 
soit  kissed  each  others'  hands  as  a  salutation  and 
both  sat  down.  "Strong  water"  was  then  given 
to  the  sachem  "  who  drank  a  great-  draught,  that 
made  him  sweat  all  the  while  after."  ^After  eating 
they  entered  into  a  friendly  treaty.  They  agreed 
to  avoid  injuries  on  both  sides,  to  restore  stolen 
goods,  to  assist  each  other  in  all  just  wars,  and  to  en 
deavor  to  promote  peace  and  harmo\y  among  their 
neighbors.  This  treaty  was  faithfully  obterved  by 
Massasoit  and  his  successors  for  more  than  forty 
years  after. 

In  the  year  1623,  Massasoit  was  taken  sick  and 
sent  information  of  it  to  the  Governor,^  who  sent 
two  of  his  friends  to  make  him  a  visit.  Their  vis 
it  and  the  presents  which  they  brought,  were  very 
gratifying  to  Massasoit,  and  the  medicines  they  ad 
ministered  were  successful  in  restoring  his  health. 
-Gratitude  for  their  kindness  prompted  him  to  dis 
close  a  conspiracy  of  the  Indians,  which  had  for  its 
object  the  total  destruction  of  the  English.  This 
-'timely  notice  averted  the  calamity. 


(10.)  Exploits  of  Capt.  Standish. 

Capt.  Miles  Standish,  the  hero  of  New  England, 
came  over  with  the  first  Plymouth  settlers  in  1620. 
He  was  allied  to  the  noble  house  of  Standish,  of 
Lancashire,  (Eng.)  and  was  heir  apparent  to  a 
great  estate,  unjustly  detained  from  him,  which  com 
pelled  him  to  depend  on  himself  for  support. 
3 


"  He  was  small  in  stature,  but  of  an  active  spirit, 
a  sanguine  temper,  and  strong  constitution." 
These  qualities  led  him  to  the  profession  of  arms, 
He  entered  into  the  service  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  in 
the  aid  of  the  Dutch, — and  afier  the  truce,  he  settled 
with  Mr.  Robinson's  people  in  Leyden.  When 
they  emigrated  to  America,  he  commanded  the  de 
tachment  for  making  discoveries  after  their  arri 
val. — He  was  chosen  by  the  settlers  as  their  military 
commander,  and  has  since  been  considered  as  the 
Washington  of  the  Plymouth  Colony. 

One  of  his  most  celebrated  exploits  was  the 
breaking  up  of  a  plot  in  1623,  which  the  Indians  had 
formed  to  murder  the  English  settlers  at  Wessagus- 
set,  now  Weymouth.  The  Governor  of  Plymouth 
having  learned  from  Massasoit  the  plot  of  the  na 
tives,  sent  Capt.  Standish  to  their  relief,  and  if  a 
plot  should  be  discovered,  to  fall  on  the  conspirators. 
Standish  made  choice  of  eight  men,  refusing  to 
take  any  more.  When  lie  arrived  at  Wassagusset, 
he  found  the  settlers  scattered,  and  insensible  of 
the  destruction  which  awaited  them.  Standish  was 
careful  not  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  natives  till 
he  could  assemble  the  people  of  the  plantation. 
An  Indian  brought  him  some  furs  whom  he  treated 
"  smoothly,"  yet  the  Indian  reported  that  he  "  saw 
by  the  Captain's  eyes  that  he  was  angry  in  his 
heart."  This  induced  Pecksuot,  a  chief  of  cou 
rage,  to  tell  Hobbamock,  Standish's  guide  and  in 
terpreter,  that  he  "  understood  the  Captain  had 
come  to  kill  him  and  the  rest  of  the  Indians  there ; 
but  tell  him,"  said  he,  "  we  know  it,  but  fear  him 
not ;  neither  will  we  shun  him  ;  let  him  begin  when 
he  dare,  he  shall  not  take  us  at  unawares. n  Oth 
ers  whetted  their  knives  before  him,  using  insult 
ing  gestures  and  speeches.  Pecksuot,  being  a 


23 

man  of  great  stature,  said  to  Standish  "though  you 
are  a  great  captain,  yet  you  are  but  a  little  man, 
and  though  I  be  no  sachem,  yet  I  am  a  man  of  great 
strength  and  courage."  The  next  day,  seeing  he 
could  get  no  more  of  them  together,  Pecksuot,  and 
Wittuwamat,  and  his  brother,  a  youth  of  eighteen, 
and  one  Indian  more,  being  together,  and  having 
about  so  many  of  his  own  men  in  the  room,  he  gave 
the  word,  the  door  was  fast ;  he  seized  Pecksuot, 
snatched  his  knife  from  him,  and  killed  him  with  it ; 
the  rest  killed  Wittuwamat  and  the  other  Indian. 
The  youth  they  took  and  hanged.  Dreadful  was 
the  scene ;  incredible  the  number  of  wounds  they 
bore  ;  without  any  noise,  catching  at  the  weapons, 
and  striving  till  death.* 

This  sudden  and  unexpected  execution  so  terrifi 
ed  the  other  natives,  who  had  intended  to  join  them 
m  the  conspiracy,  that  they  forsook  their  houses, 
and  fled  to  swamps  and  desert  places,  where  they 
contracted  diseases  of  which  many  of  them  died. 


(1 1.)  First  Settlements  in  Connecticut. 

In  1635,  October  15th,  about  sixty  men,  women 
and  children,  from  Dorchester,  Mass.,  with  their 
horses  and  cattle,  and  swine,  took  up  their  march 
across  the  wilderness  to  Connecticut  river.  Their 
dangerous  journey  over  mountains  and  rivers,  and 
through  swamps  they  were  two  weeks  in  perform 
ing.  "The  forests  through  which  they  passed  for 
the  first  time,  resounded  with  the  praises  of  God. 
They  prayed  and  sang  psalms  and  hymns ;  the  In 
dians  following  them  in  silent  admiration."  It  was 

*Morse  and  Parish's  Hist,  of  New 


24 

so  late  in  the  season  when  they  reached  the  place 
(now  called  Windsor)  of  their  destination,  that  they 
were  unable  to  find  feed  for  their  cattle,  most  of 
which  died  the  ensuing  winter. 

Disappointed  in  receiving  their  provisions,  famine 
threatened  them,  and  those  who  remained  through 
the  winter  were  obliged  to  subsist  on  acorns,  malt, 
and  grains. 

The  congregation  at  Nevvtown,  (now  Cambridge,) 
consisting  of  about  one  hundred  men,  women  and 
children,  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker,  their  pastor,  at 
their  head,  also  emigrated  more  than  one  hundred 
miles  through  a  howling  wilderness  to  Hartford. 
They  had  no  guide  but  their  compass;  on  their  way 
they  subsisted  on  milk,  for  they  drove  before  them 
one  hundred  and  sixty  head  of  cattle.  They  were 
obliged  to  carry  Mrs.  Hooker  upon  a  litter. 

They  began  a  plantation  and  called  it  Newtozvn* 
which  name  was  afterwards  exchanged  for  Hartford. 

In  the  fall  of  1637,  a  small  party  from  Massachu 
setts  journeyed  to  Connecticut  to  explore  the  lands 
and  harbors  on  the  sea  coast.  They  chose  Quinnipi- 
«c,  for  the  place  of  their  settlement,  and  erected  a 
poor  hut  in  which  a  few  men  subsisted  through  the 
winter.  And  on  the  30th  of  March  following,  a 
larger  party  sailed  from  Boston  for  Quinnipiac, 
where  they  arrived  in  about  two  weeks.  This  be 
gan  the  settlement  of  New-Haven. 


(12.)  Blue  Laws  of  Connecticut, 

The  following  is  a  transcript  of  the  principal 
part  of  the  celebrated  judicial  code,  known  by  the 
name  of  Blue  Laws,  under  which  it  is  said  the  first. 


25 

colonists'of  Connecticut  remained  for  a  considerable 
time  ;  they  are  as  follows  : 

"  The  Governor  and  magistrates,  convened  in  gen 
eral  assembly  are  the  supreme  power  under  God,  of 
this  independent  dominion. 

From  the  determination  of  the  Assembly  no  ap 
peal  shall  be  made. 

The  Governor  is  amenable  to  the  voice  of  the 
people. 

The  Governor  shall  have  only  a  single  vote  in  de 
termining  any  question,  except  a  casting  vole  when 
the  assembly  may  be  equally  divided. 

The  assembly  of  the  people  shall  not  be  dismis 
sed  by  the  Governor,  but  shall  dismiss  itself. 

Conspiracy  against  this  dominion  shall  be  punish 
ed  Avith  death. 

Whoever  attempts  to  change  or  overturn  this  do 
minion  shall  suffer  death. 

The  Judges  shall  determine  controversies  with 
out  a  Jury. 

'No  one  shall  be  a  freeman,  or  give  a  vote,  unless 
he  be  converted,  OB  a  member  in  free  communion 
in  one  of  the  churches  in  this  dominion. 

No  food  or  lodging  .shall  be  afforded  to  a  Quaker. 
Adamite,  or  other  heretic. 

No  one  shall  cross  a  river  without  an  authorized 
ferryman.. 

No  one  shall  run  of  a  Sabbath  day,  or  walk  in 
his  garden  or  elsewhere,  except  reverently  to  and 
from  church. 

No  one  shall  travel,  cook  victuals,  make  beds, 
sweep  houses,  cut  hair,  or  shave,  on  the  Sabbath 
day. 

No  woman  shall  kiss  her  child  on  the  Sabbath,  or 
fasting  day. 

3* 


26 

A  person  accused  of  trespass  in  the  nightj  shall 
be  judged  guilty  unless  he  clear  himself  by  his  oath. 

No  one  shall  buy  or  sell  lands  without  permis 
sion  of  the  select  men. 

Whoever  publishes  a  lie  to  the  prejudice  of  his 
neighbor,  shall  sit  in  the  stocks,  or  be  whipped  fif 
teen  stripes. 

Whoever  wears  clothes  trimmed  with  silver,  or 
bone  lace  above  two  shillings  a  yard,  shall  be  pre 
sented  by  the  grand  jurors,  and  the  select  men 
shall  tax  the  offender  at  the  rate  of  300/  estate. 

Whoever  brings  cards  or  dice  into  this  dominion 
shall  pay  a  fine  of  51. 

No  one  shall  read  Common  Prayer,  keep  Christ 
inas  or  Saints'  day,  make  minced  pies,  dance,  play 
cards,  or  play  on  any  instrument  of  music,  except 
the  drum,  the  trumpet  and  Jews  harp. 

When  parents  refuse  their  children  suitable  mar 
riages,  the  magistrates  shall  determine  the  point. 

The  select  men,  on  finding  children  ignorant, 
may  take  them  away  from  their  parents  and  put 
them  into  better  hands,  at  the  expense  of  the  pa 
rents. 

A  man  that  strikes  his  wife  shall  pay  a  fine  of  1 01 ; 
a  woman  that  strikes  her  husband,  shall  be  punished 
as  the  court  directs. 

Married  persons  must  live  together,  or  be  impris 
oned. 

Every  male  shall  have  his  hair  cut  round  accor 
ding  to  a  cap." 

This  curious  code  appears  to  never  have  been 
written,  but  was  declared,  and  interpreted  by  the 
select,  men,  the  judges,  and  the  pastors  of  the  differ 
ent  congregations.* 

*Analectic  Magazine,  Vol.  4,  page  57. 


(13.)  Earthquakes.] 

The  first  earthquake  since  the  settlement  of 
this  country  took  place  in  New  England  on  the  first 
day  of  June,  1638.  The  earth  shook  with  such  vi 
olence,  that,  in  some  places,  the  people  could  not 
stand,  without  difficulty,  in  the  streets ;  and  most 
moveable  articles  in  their  houses  were  thrown 
down.*  It  occurred  between  the  hours  of  three 
and  four  P.  M.  The  weather  was  clear  and  warm, 
and  the  wind  westerly.  "  It  came  with  a  noise  like 
continued  thunder,  or  the  rattling  of  coaches  in 
London,  but  was  presently  gone."  It  was  felt  at 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Narraganset,  Pisca- 
taqua,  and  the  circumjacent  parts.  It  shook  the 
ships  which  rode  in  Boston  harbor,  and  all  the  ad 
jacent  Islands.  "  The  noise  and  shaking  continu 
ed  about  four  minutes.  The  earth  was  unquiet  20 
days  after  by  times."! 

On  Jan.  6th,  1663,  a  great  earthquake  was  felt 
in  the  northern  parts  of  America.  It  was  felt 
throughout  New  England  and  New  Netherlands, 
(now  New  York,)  but  Canada  was  the  chief  seat  of 
its  concussions.  It  began  there  about  half  past  five 
o'clock,  P.  M.  While  the  heavens  were  serene, 
there  was  suddenly  heard  a  roar  like  that  of  fire. 
The  buildings  were  shaken  with  violence.  "  The 
doors  opened  and  shut  themselves— the  bells  rang 
without  being  touched -r  the  walls  split  asunder — 
the  floors  separated  and  fell  down — the  fields  put 
on  the  appearance  of  precipices — and  the  moun 
tains  seemed  moving  out  oi  their  places."  The 
first  shock  continued  nearly  half  an  hour.  Several 
violent  shocks  succeeded  this,  the  same  evening, 

*Holmes'  Annals.    fWinthrop's  Journal, 


28 

and  the  next  day ;  nor  did  the  earthquake  cease  till 
the  following  July.  The  effects  of  the  first,  in  Jan 
uary,  were  remarkable.  "Many  fountains  and 
small  streams  were  dried  up.  In  others  the  water 
became  sulphureous.  Many  trees  were  torn  up, 
and  thrown  to  a  considerable  distance  ;  and  some 
mountains  appeared  to  be  much  moved  and  broken. 

On  the  29th  of  October,  1727,  there  was  a 
great  earthquake  in  New  England.  This  earth 
quake  commenced  with  a  heavy  rumbling  noise 
about  half  past  ten  o'clock,  P.  M.,  when  the  wea 
ther  was  perfectly  calm  and  tranquil.  The  motion 
was  undulatory.  Its  violence  caused  the  houses 
to  shake  and  rock,  as  if  they  were  falling  to  pieces. 
Stone  walls  and  the  tops  of  several  chimneys  were 
shaken  down.  The  duration  appears  to  have  been 
about  two  minutes.  Its  course  appears  to  have, 
been  from  northwest  to  southwest. 

The  most  violent  earthquake  ever  known  in  this- 
country,  took  place  November  1 8th,  1755.  It  was 
felt  at  Boston,  a  little  after  4  o'clock  in  a  serene  and 
pleasant  night,  and  continued  nearly  four  and  a  half 
minutes.  In  Boston  about  one  hundred  chimneys 
were  levelled  with  the  roofs  of  the  houses ;  and 
about  fifteen  hundred  shattered  and  thrown  down 
in  part.  Many  clocks  were  slopped.  "  At  New 
Haven,  the  ground,  in  many  places,  seemed  to  rise 
like  the  sea;  and  the  houses  shook  and  cracked."* 
The  motion  of  the  earthquake  was  undulatory. 
Its  course  was  nearly  from  northwest  to  southeast. 

Slight  shocks  of  earthquakes  have  occurred  in 
many  instances  since  the  first  settlement  of  this, 
country. 


29 
(14.)  Indian  Cunning  and  Sagacity. 

The  Indians  have  ever  been  remarkable  for  their 
cunning  and  sagacity. 

The  following  will  serve  to  illustrate  this  part  of 
their  character. 

A  Pequot  Indian,  in  time  of  war,  was  pursued  by 
a  Narraganset.  Finding  it  difficult  to  escape  he 
had  recourse  to  the  following  stratagem.  Retiring 
behind  a  rock  he  elevated  his  hat  upon  his  gun  just 
above  the  rock,  so  that  nothing  but  his  hat  appeared. 
The  Narraganset  who  was  some  distance  oft",  per 
ceiving  this,  crept  up  softly,  within  a  few  feet,  and 
fired,  and  supposed  that  he  had  shot  his  enemy 
though  the  head.  But  he  soon  found  out  his  mis 
take,  for  the  Pequot  immediately  sprung  round  the 
rock  and  shot  him  before  he  had  time  to  load  his  gun. 

Such  is  the  sagacity  and  habits  of  nice  observa 
tion  which  an  Indian  possesses,  that  it  is  said,  he 
can  tell  whether  his  enemy  has  passed  any  place — 
will  discern  foot  marks  which  an  European  could 
not  see  ;  he  wiH  tell  what  tribe  it  was,  and  what 
were  their  numbers.  On  the  smoothest  grass,  on 
the  hardest  earth,  and  even  on  the  very  stones,  will 
he  discern  traces.— In  the  pursuit  of  game  they  will 
track  their  prey  in  the  same  manner,  and  see  which 
way  to  go  in  the  pursuit. 

(15.)  Expedition  against  the  Pequots. 

The  year  1G37  is  memorable  in  the  history  of 
Connecticut  for  the  war  with  thp  Pequot  Indians — 
one  of  the  most  warlike  and  haughty  tribes  in  New- 
England.  Previous  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  war, 
the  Pequots  had  much  annoyed  the  English,  and. 


30 

murdered  a  number  of  them,  whereupon  a  court 
was  summoned  at  Hartford  who  determined  upon  a 
War  with  the  Pequots.  Ninety  men  were  mustered 
from  the  towns  of  Hartford,  Windsor  and  Wethers- 
field,  being  about  half  of  the  effective  force  of  the 
whole  colony.  This  expedition  was  commanded 
by  Capt.  Mason,  assisted  by  Capt.  Underbill. 
Previous  to  their  marching,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker,  of 
Hartford,  addressed  them  in  the  following  manner : — 

"Fellow  Soldiers,  Countrymen,  and  Companions,  you  are 
this  day  assembled  by  the  special  Providence  of  God,  you  are 
not  collected  by  wifd  fancy,  nor  ferocious  passions.  It  is 
not  a  tumultuous  assembly,  whose  actions  are  abortive,  or  if 
successful,  produce  only  theft,  rapine,  rape,  and  murder; 
crime  inconsistent  with  nature's  light,  inconsistent  with  a 
soldier's  valor.  You,  my  dear  hearts,  were  selected  from 
your  neighbors,  by  the  godly  fathers  of  the  land,  for  your 
known  courage  to  execute  such  a  work. 

"  Your  cause  is  the  cause  of  heaven ;  the  enemy  have 
blasphemed  your  God,  and  slain  his  servants ;,  your  are  only 
the  ministers  of  his  justice.  I  do  not  pretend  that  your  ene 
mies  are  careless  or  indifferent:  no,  their  hatred  is  inflamed, 
their  lips  thirst  for  blood  ;  they  would  devour  you,  and  all 
the  people  of  God ;  but  my  brave  soldiers,  their  guilt  has 
reached  the  clouds;  they  are  ripe  for  destruction  ;  their  cru 
elty  is  notorious ;  and  cruelty  and  cowardice  are  always 
united. 

"There  is  nothing,  therefore,  to  prevent  your  certain  vic 
tory,  but  their  nimble  feet,  their  impenetrable  swamps,  and: 
woods ;  from  these  your  small  numbers  will  entice  them,  or 
your  courage  drive  them.  I  now  put  the  question — Who 
would  not  fight  in  such  a  cause  ?  fight  with  undaunted 
boldness?  do  you  wish  for  more  encouragement?  more  I  give 
you.  Riches  waken  the  soldier's  sword ;  and  though  you 
will  not  obtain  silver  and  gold,  on  the  field  of  victory  ;  you 
will  secure  what  is  infinitely  more  precious;  you  will  secure 
the  liberties-,  the  privileges,  and  the  lives  of  Christ's  Church, 
in  this  new  world. 

w  You  will  procure  safely  for  your  affectionate  wives,  safe 
ty  for  your  prattling,  harmless,  smiling  babes;  you  will  se- 
«jure  all  the  blessings  enjoyed  by  the  people  of  God  in  the 


Si 

ordinances  of  the  gospel.  Distinguished  was  the  honor  ctm» 
ferred  upon  David,  for  fighting  the  battles  of  the  Lord ;  this 
honor,  O  ye  courageous  soldiers  of  God,  is  now  prepared  for 
you.  You  will  now  execute  his  vengeance  on  the  heathen  ; 
yon  will  bind  their  kings  in  chains,  and  their  nobles  in  fetters 
of  iron.  But  perhaps  some  one  may  fear  thai  a  fatal  arrow 
may  deprive  him  of  this  honor. 

"  Let  every  faithful  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  be  assured, 
that  if  any  servant  be  taken  away,  it  is  merely  because  the 
honors  of  this  world  are  too  narrow  for  his  reward;  an  ever 
lasting  crown  is  set  upon  his  head  ;  because  the  rewards  of 
this  life  are  insufficient.  March  then  with  Christian  cour 
age,  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  ;  march  with  faith  in  his  di 
vine  promises,  and  soon  your  swords  shall  find  your  enemies; 
soon  they  shall  fall  like  leaves  of  the  forest  under  your  feet." 

Being  joined  by  Uncas,  the  sachem  of  the  Mo- 
hegans,  they  all  proceeded  down  the  river  to  Say- 
brook,  where  they  formed  their  plan  of  operations. 
It  was  determined  to  atfack  ;the  enemy  in  one  of 
their  principal  forts  (in  the  present  town  of  Ston- 
ington,)  where  Sassacus,  their  chief  sachem,  had 
retired.  Previous  to  the  attack,  Capt.  Mason  was 
joined  by  about  five  hundred  Narraganset  Indians, 
who,  when  they  understood  that  they  were  to  fight 
Sassacus,  betrayed  much  fear  and  retired  to 
the  rear,  saying  "  Sassacus  was  all  one  a  god,  and 
nobody  could  kill  him." 

The  time  fixed  on  at  length  arrived — the  dawn 
of  the  26th  of  May,  which  was  to  decide  the  fate  of 
the  Colony  of  Connecticut.  The  barking  of  a  dog, 
when  within  a  few  rods  of  the  fort,  announced  their 
approach  and  aroused  the  Pequot  sentinel,  who 
cried  out  Owanmix  !  Owannux  !  i.  e.  Englishmen  ! 
Englishmen!  The  Captains,  followed  by  their  men, 
courageously  pressed  forward,  found  an  entrance, 
and  fired  upon  the  enemy  in  the  fort  who  made  a 
desperate  resistance.  The  destruction  of  the  Pe- 
quots  was  terrible,  yet  the  victory  seemed  doubtful, 


32 

Captain  Mason  (who  with  his  men  were  now  nearly 
exhausted)  .seized  a  fire-brand  and  set  fire  to  a  wig 
wam,  of  which  there  were  many  in  the  fort,  cover 
ed  with  mats  and  other  combustible  materials.  The 
firo  assisted  by  the  wind  spread  rapidly,  and  directly 
the  whole  fort  was  in  a  flame.  The  roar  and  crack 
ling  of  the  flames,  with  the  yells  of  savages,  and  the 
discharge  of  musketry,  formed  an  awful  and  terrific 
scene  !  The  troops  who  had  now  formed  outside 
of  the  fort,  with  the  friendly  Indians,  who  had  by 
this  lime  gathered  courage  to  approach,  surrounded 
the  enemy  and  fired  upon  those  who  attempted  to 
escape. 

The  work  of  destruction  was  complete;  of  five 
or  six  hundred  Pequots.  only  seven  or  eight  esca 
ped — the  rest  were  either  shot  or  perished  in  the 
flames.  The  loss  of  the  English  was  only  two  kit- 
led  and  sixteen  wounded. 


(16.)  Elliot,  the  Indian  Missionary. 

In  1650,  the  society  in  England  instituted  for 
propagating  the  gospel,  began  a  correspondence 
with  the  commissioners  of  the  Colonies  of  New- 
England,  who  were  employed  as  agents  of  the  so 
ciety.  In  consequence,  exertions  were  made  to 
•christianize  the  Indians.  Mr.  John  Elliot,  minister 
of  Roxbury,  distinguished  himself  in  this  pious 
work.  He  collected  the  Indian  families,  and  estab 
lished  towns  ;  he  taught  them  husbandry,  the  me 
chanic  arts,  and  a  prudent  management  of  their 
affairs,  and  instructed  them  with  unwearied  atten 
tion  in  the  principles  of  Christianity.  For  his  un» 
common  zeal  and  success,  he  has  been  called  the 
Apostle  of  New-England. 


Coimecticut 


33 

Mr.  Elliot  began  his  labors  about  the  year  1646. 
His  first  labor  was  to  learn  the  language,  which  was 
peculiarly  difficult  to  acquire  ;  for  instance,  the  In 
dian  word  Nummatchcchodtantamoonganunnonask 
signified  no  more  in  English  than  our  lusts.*  Elliot 
having  finished  a  grammar  of  this  tongue,  at 
the  close  of  which  he  wrote  "Prayers  and  pains 
through  faith  in  Christ  will  do  any  thing!"  with 
very  great  labor  he  translated  the  whole  bible  into 
the  Indian  language.  This  Bible  was  printed  ii* 
1664,  at  Cambridge,  and  was  the  first  Bible  ever 
printed  in  America.  He  also  translated  the  Prac 
tice  of  Piety,  Baxters  call  to  the  Unconverted,  be 
sides  some  smaller  works,  into  the  Indian  tongue. 
Having  performed  many  wearisome  journeys,  and 
endured  many  hardships  and  privations,  this  indefa 
tigable  Missionary  closed  his  labors  in  1690,  aged 
eighty-six  years. 

The  ardor  and  zeal  of  Elliot,  Mahew,  and  others, 
were  crowned  with  such  success,  that  in  1660,  there 
were  ten  towns  of  Indians  in  Massachusetts, 
-who  were  converted  to  the  Christian  Religion.  In 
1695,  there  were  not  less  than  three  thousand  adult 
Indian  converts  in  the  Islands  of  Nantucket  and 
Martha's  Vineyard. 


(17.)  King  Philip's  War. 
(ATTACK   ON  BROOKFIELD.) 

In  the  year  1675,  Philip,  Sachem  of  the  Wamp- 
an^gas,  and  grand-son  of  Massasoit,  began  the  most 
general  and  destructive  war  ever  waged  by  the  In 
dians  upon  the  infant  Colonies.  He  resided  at 

*  Mather's  Magnalia,  vol.  1. 
4 


34 

Mount  Hope,  in  the  present  town  of  Bristol,  in 
Rhode  Island. 

It  is  supposed  that  his  object  was  the  entire  ex 
tinction  of  the  colonists,  who  were  now  rapidly  ex 
tending  their  settlements.  The  immediate  cause  of 
the  war  was  this  :  Sausaman,  an  Indian  Missionary, 
had  made  a  discovery  of  Philip's  plots  to  the  En 
glish,  for  which  Philip  caused  him  to  be  murdered 
The  murderers  were  tried  and  executed  by  the  En 
glish.  This  roused  the  anger  of  Philip,  who  im 
mediately  commenced  hostilities,  and  by  his  influ 
ence  drew  into  the  war  most  of  the  Indian  tribes  in 
New  England. 

Philip  fled  to  the  Nipmucks,  a  tribe  of  Indians  in 
that  part  of   Massachusetts   which  is  now   called 
Worcester   County,  and  persuaded  them  to  assist 
him.     The  English  sent  a  party  also  to  this  tribe,  to 
renew  a  former  treaty,  but  Philip's  influence  pre 
vailed,  and  this   party  were  way-laid,  and  eight  of 
their  number  killed.     The  remainder  fled  to  Brook- 
field,  pursued  by  the  Indians  into  the  town.     Every 
house  in  this  place  was  burnt  by  the  Indians  except 
one  into  which  the  inhabitants  had  fled  for  refuge, 
and  this  was  soon  surrounded  by  their  foes,  and  for 
two  days  they  poured  into  its  walls  a  shower  of 
musket  balls.     Only  one  person,  however,  was  kil 
led.     Brands  and  rags  dipped  in  brimstone,  attach 
ed  to  the  ends  of  long  poles,  were  used  to  fire  the 
house;  arrows  of  fire  were  shot  against  it,  and  a 
cart  of  tow  and  other  combustibles,  .was  with  long 
poles   pushed  against  the  house,  and  the  savages 
stood  ready  to  slaughter  all  who  should  attempt  to 
escape. 

At  this  awful  and  critical  moment  a  sudden  tor 
rent  of  rain  extinguished  the  kindling  flames.  Ma 
jor  Willard  soon  after  came  to  their  assistance — 


35 


raised  the  seige,  and  after  some  slaughter  of  the  en 
emy,  compelled  them  to  retreat. 


(18.)  Swamp  Fight  with  the  Narragansets. 

Lest^Philip  should  increase  his  power,  by  an  alli 
ance  with  the  Narraganset  Indians,  the  English 
had  made  a  friendly  treaty  with  them  in  July,  1675. 
But  notwithstanding  this,  in  December  of  the  same 
year,  it  was  discovered  that  they  were  secretly  aid 
ing  Philip's  party.  This  determined  the  English 
to  undertake  a  winter  expedition  against  them.  For, 
this  object  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  furnished 
live  hundred  and  twenty-seven  men,  Plymouth  one 
hundred  and  fifty-nine,  and  Connecticut  three  hun 
dred  ;  to  all  these  were  attached  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Mohegan  Indians.  After  electing  Josiah  Wins- 
low,  Governor  of  Plymouth  colony,  to  be  their 
commander,  the  whole  party  met  at  Petty  quams- 
quot.  About  sixteen  miles  from  this  place  it  was 
found  that  the  Narragansets  had  built  a  strong  fort 
in  the  midst  of  a  large  swamp,  upon  a  piece  of  dry 
land  of  about  five  or  six  acres.  This  fort  was  a 
circle  of  pallisadoes  surrounded  by  a  fence  of  trees 
which  was  about  one  rod  thick. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1675,  at  dawn  of  day, 
the  English  took  up  their  march  through  a  deep 
snow,  and  at  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  attacked 
the  Indians  in  their  fortress.  The  only  entrance 
which  appeared  practicable,  was  over  a  log  or  tree, 
which  lay  up  5  or  6  feet  from  the  ground,  and  this 
opening  was  commanded  by  a  sort  of  a  block 
house  in  front.  The  Massachusetts  men,  led  on  by 
their  Captains,  first  rushed  into  the  fort,  but  the  ene 
my  from  the  block  house  and  other  places  opened 


36 

so  furious  a  fire  upon  them  that  they  were  obliged  to 
retreat.  Many  men  were  killed  in  this  assault,  and 
among  them  Captains  Johnson  and  Davenport. 
The  whole  army  then  made  a  united  onset.  The 
conflict  was  terrible,  some  of  the  bravest  Captains 
fell,  and  victory  seemed  doubtful.  At  this  crisis, 
some  of  the  Connecticut  men  ran  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  fort,  where  there  were  no  pallisadoes ; 
they  sprang  in  and  opened  a  brisk  and  well  directed 
fire  upon  the  backs  of  the  enemy.  This  decided 
the  contest.  The  Indians  were  driven  from  the 
block  house,  and  from  one  covert  to  another,  until 
they  were  wholly  destroyed  or  dispersed  in  the 
wilderness.  As  they  retreated  the  soldiers  set 
fire  to  their  wigwams,,  (about  six  hundred  in  num 
ber,)  which  were  consumed  by  the  flames.  In 
this  action  it  was  computed  that  about  seven  hun 
dred  fighting  Indians  perished,,  and  among  thern 
twenty  of  their  chiefs.  Three  hundred  more  died 
from  their  wounds — to  these  numbers  may  be  add 
ed  many  old  men,  women  and  children,  who  had 
retired  to  this  fort  as  a  place  of  undoubted  security. 

"  The  burning  of  the  wigwams,  the  shrieks  of 
the  women  and  children,  the  yelling  of  the  warri 
ors,  exhibited  a  most  horrid  and  affecting  scene,  so 
that  it  greatly  moved  some  of  the  soldiers.  They 
were  much  in  doubt  whether  the  burning  of  their 
enemies  alive,  could  be  consistent  with  humanity 
and  the  benevolent  principles  of  the  gospel." 

From  this  blow  the  Indians  never  recovered. 
The  victory  of  the  English,  though  complete,  was 
dearly  purchased;  six  of  their  Captains  and  eighty 
of  their  men  were  killed  or  mortally  wounded;  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  were  wounded  who  afterwards 
recovered.  About  one  half  of  the  loss  of  this 
bloody  fight  fell  upon  the  Connecticut  soldiers* 


37 

(19.)  Death  of  King  Philip. 

The  finishing  stroke  was  given  to  the  Indian 
power  in  New  England  by  the  death  of  Philip,  Au 
gust  12th,  1676. 

Failing  in  his  attempts  to  rouse  the  Mohawk  tribe 
to  war  with  the  English,  he  returned  to  Mount 
Hope — the  tide  of  war  against  him.  The  English 
had  killed  or  captured  his  brother,  councillors,  and 
chief  warriors,  his  wife  and  family,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  flee  from  one  lurking  place  to  another, 
from  the  pursuit  of  his  foes.  Firm  and  unbroken 
amidst  all  his  misfortunes,  he  would  listen  to  no 
proposals  of  peace.  He  even  shot  one  of  his  own 
men  for  daring  to  suggest  it. 

Captain  Church,  who  for  his  courage  and  enter 
prise  in  this  war  had  acquired  renown,  received  in 
formation  that  Philip  was  in  a  swamp  near  Mount 
Hope.  To  this  place  he  marched  immediately,  with 
a  party  of  men  whom  he  placed  in  ambush  about 
the  swamp,  with  orders  not  to  move  until  day 
light,  that  they  might  distinguish  Philip.  Cap 
tain  Church,  confident  of  success,  took  Major  San- 
ford  by  the  hand,  exclaiming,  "  It  is  scarcely  possi 
ble  that  Philip  should  escape;"  at  this  moment  a 
bullet  whistled  over  their  heads,  and  a  volley  fol 
lowed.  Immediately  Philip  with  his  powde/horn 
and  gun  ran  fiercely  towards  a  spot  where  lay  con 
cealed  a  white  man  and  a  friendly  Indian.  The 
Englishman  levelled  his  gun  at  Philip,  but  it  miss 
ed  fire.  The  Indian  ally  then  fired.  The  bullet 
entered  the  heart  of  Philip,  and  he  fell  on  his  face 
in  the  mire  of  the  swamp.  By  the  order  of  Cap 
tain  Church  his  body  was  drawn  from  the  place 
where  he  fell,  beheaded  and  quartered.  The  In 
dian  who  executed  this  order,  taking  his  hatchet, 


thus  "addressed  the  body  of  Philip  : — "You  have 
been  one  very  great  man — you  have  made  a  many 
a  man  afraid  of  you — but  so  big  as  you  be  I  will 
chop  you  in  pieces." 

"  Thus  fell  a  brave  chieftain  who  defended  him 
self,  and  what  he  imagined  to  be  the  just  rights  of 
his  countrymen,  to  the  last  extremity." 

After  the  death  of  Philip,  the  war  continued  in 
the  province  of  Maine,  till  the  spring  of  1678. 
But  westward,  the  Indians  having  lost  their  chiefs, 
wigwams  and  provisions,  and  perceiving  further 
contest  vain,  came  in  singly,  and  by  tens,  and  by 
hundreds,  and  submitted  to  the  English. 

Thus  closed  a  melancholy  period  in  the  annals 
of  New  England  history  ;  during  which,  600  men, 
in  the  flower  of  their  strength,  had  fallen;  12  or  13 
towns  had  been  destroyed,  and  600  dwelling  houses 
consumed.  Every  llth  family  was  houseless,  and 
every  llth  soldier  had  sunk  to  the  grave.* 


(20.)  Bacon's  Insurrection  in  Virginia. 

Virginia,  while  a  Colony  of  Great  Britain,  often 
Buffered  from  the  oppressive  acts  of  the  mother 
country,  and  their  essential  interests  were  often 
sacrificed  to  individuals  in  Great  Britain.  These 
proceedings  gave  rise  to  a  spirit  of  opposition  in 
many  of  the  colonists,  which  sometimes  broke  out 
into  open  acts  of  resistance. 

"  The  malcontents  in  Virginia,  in  1676,  taking  ad 
vantage  of  a  war  with  the  Susquehannah  Indians,  ex 
cited  the  people  to  insurrection.  Nathaniel  Bacon, 
a  bold,,  seditious,  and  eloquent  young  man,  who  had 

*Goodrich. 


Rhode  Island. 


Death  of  lung  /'/<////•  tf7t 
Connecticut 


Pursuing  ///<•    Regicide* 


been  concerned  in  a  recent  insurrection,  now  offer 
ing  himself  as  a  leader  of  the  insurgents,  was  cho 
sen  their  General ;  arid  soon  after  entered  James 
town  with  six  hundred  armed  followers.  Having 
beseiged  the  grand  assembly,  then  convened  in  the 
capital,  he  compelled  them  to  grant  whatever  he  de 
manded.  On  finding  himself  denounced,  after  his 
departure,  as  a  rebel,  by  a  proclamation  of  Govern 
or  Berkley,  he  returned  indignantly  to  Jamestown. 
The  aged  Governor,  unsupported  and  almost  aban 
doned,  fled  precipitately  to  Accomack,  on  the  east 
ern  shore  of  the  colony  ;  and,  collecting  those,  who 
were  well  affected  towards  his  government,  began 
to  oppose  the  insurgents.  Several  skirmishes  were 
fought  with  various  success.  A  party  of  the  insur 
gents  burned  Jamestown.  Those  districts  of  the 
Colony,  which  adhered  to  the  old  administration^ 
were  laid  waste.  The  estates  of  the  loyalists  were 
confiscated.  Women,  whose  fathers  or  husbands 
obeyed  what  they  deemed  the  legal  government, 
were  carried  forcibly  along  with  the  soldiers.  The 
Governor,  in  retaliation,  seized  the  estates  of  many 
of  the  insurgents,  and  executed  several  of  their 
leaders  by  martial  law.  In  the  midst  of  these  cala 
mities,  Bacon,-  the  author  of  them,  sickened  and  di 
ed  ;  and  the  flames  of  war  expired.  This  rebellion 
cost  the  Colony  one  hundred  thousand  pounds,"* 


(21.)  TJie  Regicides. 

Soon  after  the  restoration  of  monarchy  in  Eng 
land,  many  of  the  Judges  who  had  condemned 
King  Charles  T.  to  death,  were  apprehended. 
Thirty  were  condemned  and  ten  were  executed  as 

^Holmes'  American  Annals. 


40 

traitors  ;  two  of  them,  Colonels  Goffe  and  Whalley 
made  their  escape  to  New  England,  and  arrived  in 
Boston,  July,  1 660.    They  were  gentlemen  of  worth, 
and  were  much  esteemed  by  the  colonists  for  their  un 
feigned     piety.     Their    manners    and    appearance 
were     dignified,    commanding     universal    respect. 
Whalley  had  been  a  Lieutenant  General,  and  Goffe 
a    Major  General,    in  Cromwell's    army.     An  or 
der  for  their  apprehension,  from  Charles  II.  reached 
New  England  soon  after  their  arrival.     The  King's 
commissioners,  eager  to  execute    this  order,  com 
pelled  the  Judges  to  resort  to  the  woods  and  caves, 
and  other  hiding  places  ;  and  they  would  undoubted 
ly  have  been  taken  had  not  the  colonists  secretly  aid 
ed  and  assisted  them  in  their  concealments.*     Some 
times  they  found  a  refuge  in  a  cave  on  a  mountain 
near  New  Haven,  and   at  others  in   cellars  of  the 
houses  of  their  friends,  and  once  they  were   secre 
ted  under  the  neck  bridge  in  New  Haven,  while  their 
pursuers  crossed  the  bridge  on  horseback.     After 
many  hair  breadth  escapes,  the  pursuit  was  given 
over,  and  they  were  finally  suffered  to  die  a  natural 
death  in  their  exile. 

*  While  Goffe  was  secreted  in  Hadley,in  1675,  the  Indians 
attacked  the  town,  while  the  inhabitants  were  at  public  wor 
ship.  The  people  were  thrown  into  the  utmost  confusion, 
till  Goffe,  entirely  unknown  to  them,  white  with  age,  of  a 
venerable  and  commanding-  aspect,  and  in  an  unusual  dress^ 
suddenly  presented  himself  among  them,  encouraging  the 
affrighted  inhabitants,  put  himself  at  their  head,  and  by  his 
military  skill,  led  them  on  to  an  immediate  victory.  After 
the  dispersion  of  the  enemy,  he  instantly  disappeared.  The 
wondering  inhabitants,  alike  ignorant  from  whence  he  came, 
and  where  he  had  retired,  imagined  him  to  be  an  angel,  sent 
for  their  deliverance.  Stiles'*  Hist,  Judges. 


41 
(22.)   William  Penn. 

iThe  territory  of  Pennsylvania  was  granted  to 
William  Penn,  from  whom  it  derives  its  name. 
This  grant  was  made  by  King  Charles  II.  of  Eng 
land,  in  1681,  in  consideration  of  service  rendered 
to  the  crown  by  the  father  of  Penn,  who  was  an 
admiral  in  the  English  navy.  In  October,  1682, 
William  Penn  arrived  in  the  Delaware,  with  his  col 
ony  of  Friends  or  Quakers.  He  purchased,  of  the 
natives  the  land  where  he  proposed  to  build  his 
capital,  which  he  called  Philadelphia,  or  the  seat  of 
brotherly  love.  William  Penn  gave  the  Indians  a 
satisfactory  equivalent  for  all  the  lands  which  he 
obtained  :  and  when  he  paid  them,  he  administered 
such  wholesome  counsel  and  advice  as  proved  salu 
tary  to  the  natives,  and  greatly  endeared  him  to- 
their  affections.  The  treaty  of  peace,  which  he 
concluded  with  them  in  1 682,  lasted  more  than  seven 
ty  years.  He  parcelled  out  lands  at  moderate  rents, 
gr>ve  free  toleration  to  all  religious  sects,  enacted 
mild  and  equitable 'laws,  and  thus  invited  a  rapid 
settlement  of  the  colony.  The  respect  and  afiec- 
tion  which  the  natives  had  for  Perm,  and  those  of  his 
religious  tenets,  was  so  great  that  it  is  related  as  a 
fact,  that,  in  their  wars  with  the  whites,  they  never, 
killed  a  Quaker,  knowing  him  to  be  such. 


(23.)   Tyranny  of  Andr 


OS. 


In  the  year  1684,  it  was  decided  in  the  high  Court 
of  Chancery  that  Massachusetts  had  forfeited  her 
charter,  and  that  henceforth  her  government  should 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  King.  This  event 
was  brought  about  chiefly  by  the  instrumental- 


42 

ity  of  Edmund  Andros.  This  man  had  been 
sent  over  as  a  kind  of  spy  on  the  Colonies;  he  made 
it  his  business  to  collect  charges  against  the  Colo 
nies,  and  return  to  England  and  excite  the  jealousy 
of  the  British  government.  In  this  manner,  the  way 
was  prepared  for  annulling  the  Colonial  charters 
In  December,  J686,  Andros  arrived  in  Boston 
being  commissioned  by  King  James  as  Gover 
nor  General,  and  Vice  Admiral  over  New  England, 
New  York  and  the  Jersies.  Like  all  tyrants,  Sir 
Edmund  began  his  administration  with  professions 
of  high  regard  for  the  public  welfare.  In  a  few 
months,  however,  the  prospect  was  changed. — The 
press  was  restrained,  liberty  of  conscience  infringed, 
and  exorbitant  taxes  were  levied.  The  charters 
being  vacated,  it  was  pretended  all  titles  to  lands 
wereiiestroyed  ;  farmers,  therefore,  who  had  culti 
vated  their  soil  for  half  a  century,  were  obliged  to 
take  new  patents,  giving  large  fees,  or  writs  of  intru 
sion  were  bought,  and  their  lands  sold  to  others. 
To  prevent  petitions  or  consultations,  town  meet 
ings  were  prohibited,  excepting  once  in  a  year  for 
the  choice  of  town  officers.  Lest  cries  of  oppres 
sion  should  reach  the  throne,  he  forbid  any  to  leave 
the  country  without  permission  from  the  govern 
ment.* 

In  1689.  King  James  having  abdicated  the  throne, 
William,  prince  of  Orange,  and  Mary,  daughter  of 
James,  were  proclaimed  in  February.  A  report  of 
the  landing  of  William  in  England,  reached  Boston, 
but  before  the  news  of  the  entire  revolution  in  the 
British  government  arrived,  a  most  daring  one  was 
effected  in  New-England. 

*  Morse's  History  of  New  England. 


The  colonists  had  borne  the  impositions  of 
Andres's  government  about  three  years.  Their  pa- 
.tience  was  now  exhausted.  On  the  morning  of 
April  18th  the  public  fury  burst  forth  like  a  volcano. 
The  inhabitants  of  Boston  were  in  arms  and  the  peo 
ple  from  the  country  poured  in  to  their  assistance. 
Andros  and  his  associates  fled  to  a  fort,  resistance 
,was  vain,  he  was  made  a  prisoner  and  sent  to  Eng 
land* 


,(24.)  Preservation  o/  the  Charter  of  Connecticut* 

Sir  Edmund  Andros,  being  appointed  the  first 
.governor  general  over  New  England,  arrived  at 
Boston  in  December,  1686.  From  this  place  he 
wrote  to  the  colony  of  Connecticut  to  resign  their 
charter;  but  without  success.  "  The  assembly  met 
as  usual,  in  October,  and  the  government  continued 
according  to  charter  until  the  last  of  the  month. 
About  this  time,  Sir  Edmund,  with  his  suit,  and  more 
than  sixty  regular  troops,  came  to  Hartford  when 
the  assembly  were  sitting  and  demanded  the  char 
ter,  and  declared  the  government  under  it  to  be  dis 
solved.  The  assembly  were  extremely  reluctant 
and  slow  with  respect  to  any  resolve  to  surrender 
the  charter,  or  with  respect  to  any  motion  to  bring 
it  forth.  The  tradition  is,  that  Governor  Treat 
strongly  represented  the  great  expense  and  hardships 
of  the  colonists,  in  planting  the  country,  the  blood 
and  treasure  which  they  had  expended  in  defending 
it,  both  against  the  savages  and  foreigners ;  to 
what  hardships  and  dangers  he  himself  had  been 
exposed  for  that  purpose ;  and  that  it  was  like  giv 
ing^  p  his  life,  now  to  surrender  the  patent  and  priv- 


44 

"ileges.  so  dearly  bought  and  so  long  enjoyed.  The 
important  affair  was  debated  and  kept  in  suspense 
until  the  evening,  when  the  charter  was  brought 
and  laid  upon  the  table,  where  the  assembly  were 
sitting.  By  this  time  great  numbers  of  people  were 
assembled,  and  men  sufficiently  bold  to  enterprise 
whatever  might  be  necessary  or  expedient.  The 
lights  were  instantly  extinguished,  and  one  Captain 
Wadsworth,  of  Hartford,  in  the  most  silent  and  se 
cret  manner,  carried  off  the  charter,  and  secreted 
it  in  a  large  hollow  tree,  fronting  the  house  of  the 
Honorable  Samuel  Wyllys,  then  one  of  the  magis 
trates  of  the  colony.  The  people  appeared  all 
.peaceable  and  orderly.  The  candles  were  offi 
ciously  relighted,  -but  the  patent  was  gone,  and  no 
discovery  could  be  made  of  it,  or  the  person  who 
had  conveyed  it  away.  Sir  Edmund  assumed  the 
government,  and  the  records  of  the  colony  were 
closed  in  the  following  words:: 

"At  a  general  court  at  Hartford,  October  31st, 
1687,  His  excellency  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  knight, 
and  captain  general  and  governor  of  his  Majesty's 
territories  and  dominions  in  New  England,  by  order 
from  his  Majesty,  James  the  II.  king  of  England, 
Scotland,  France,  and  Ireland,  the  31st  of  October 
1687,  took  into  his  hands  the  government  of  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut,  it  being,  by  his  Majesty,  an- 
nexH  to  Massachusetts  and  other  Colonies  under 
his  Excellency's  government.  FINIS." 

TrumbuWs  History  of  Connecticut. 


(25.)  Destruction  of  Schenectady. 

In  the  war   between   England  and  France,  in  the 
year  1689,  the  French,  who  then  possessed  Canada, 


fhra  mi  a 


instigated  the  Indians  to  hostilities  against  the  Col 
onies.  A  detachment  of  between  two  and  three 
hundred  French  and  Indians  were  sent  from  Mont 
real  against  the  frontiers  of  New  York.  A  march  of 
more  than  twenty  days  in  the  depth  of  winter 
brought  them  to  Schenectady,  February  8th,  1690. 
In  this  march  they  had  b(Mh  reduced  to  such 
straits  that  they  had  thoughts  of  surrendering  them 
selves  prisoners  of  war.  But  their  scouts  brought 
to  them  information  that  the  inhabitants  were  in  a 
state  of  unsuspecting  security, — upon  this  they  deter 
mined  to  attack  them.  On  Saturday  night,  about 
eleven  o'clock,  they  entered  the  town  through  an 
unguarded  point,  and  that  they  might  invest  every 
house  at  the  same  time,  they  divided  into  parties  of 
six  or  seven  men  each.  The  inhabitants  were  in  a 
profound  sleep  and  unalarmed  until  the  enemy  had 
broken  open  their  doors.  In  this  dreadful  surprise 
and  consternation  successful  resistance  was  impos 
sible,  and  this  wretched  people  were  aroused  from 
their  midnight  slumbers,  to  endure  the  perpetration 
of  savage  and. inhuman  barbarities,  too  shockin^ 
here  to  record.  Sixty  of  the  inhabitants  were  killed 
and  twenty  taken  off  captives.  To  crown  their 
work,  the  enemy  set  on  fire  the  village,  killed  most 
of  the  cattle  and  the  horses,  and  those  which  were 
spared,  they  drove  off,  laden  with  plunder.  Those 
of  the  people  who  escaped,  fled  almost  naked 
through  a  deep  snow,  and  in  a  heavy  storm ;  twen 
ty  five  of  whom  lost  the  use  of  their  limbs  by  the 
severe  frost. 


(2b  •)  First   Culture  of  Rice  in  the,  Colonies. 

The  planting  of  Rice  was  introduced  into  Care* 
lina.  about  the  year  1695.  Incidents,  apparently 
small,  are  often  productive  of  important  consequen 
ces.  A  brigantine  from  Madagascar,  touching  at 
Carolina  on  her  w*j>to  Great  Britain,  came  to  an 
chor  off  Sullivan's  Island.  Landgrave  Smith,  on  invi 
tation  of  the  Captain,  paid  him  a  visit  on  board  his 
vessel,  and  received  from  him  a  present  of  a  bag  of 
seed  rice,  with  information  of  its  growth  in  eastern 
countries  ;  of  its  suitableness  for  food  ;  and  of  its 
incredible  increase.  The  Governor  divided  his  bag 
of  rice  among  some  of  his  friends  ;  who  agreeing  to 
make  an  experiment,  planted  their  parcels  in  differ 
ent  soils.  The  success  fully  equalled  their 
expectation  ;  and  from  this  small  beginning  arose  the 
staple  commodity  of  Carolina,  which  soon  became 
the  chief  support  of  the  Colony,  and  the  great 
source  of  its  opulence.  Holmes''  Annals  ^  Vol.  2. 


(27»)    Salem   Witchcraft, 

The  year  1692  is  memorable  in  New  England  for 
the  convulsion  produced  in  Salem  and  its  vicinity 
by  the  supposed  prevalence  of  Witchcraft.  Many 
were  supposed  to  be  bewitched,  and  would  complain 
of  being  bitten,  pinched,  pricked  with  pins,  &c. ; 
some  declared  that  they  beheld  a  spectral  repre 
sentation  of  the  person  whom  they  said  was  the  cause 
of  their  affliction.  Some  were  struck  dumb,  others 
had  their  limbs  distorted  in  a  shocking  manner, 
sometimes  running  on  their  hands  and  feet,  creeping 
through  holes,  and  under  chairs,  tables,  &c. ;  bark- 


47 

ing  like  a  dog,  with  other  actions  equally  strange 
and  unaccountable.  Upon  the  accusation  and  tes 
timony  of  persons  thus  afflicted,  many  were  impris 
oned,  and  nineteen  were  executed  for  practising 
zuitchcraft,  most  of  whom  died  professing  their  inno- 
c'ence.*  The  evil  became  awfully  alarming;  the 
most  respectable  persons  in  the  country  were  accus 
ed  ;  but  the  magistrates  finally  acquitted  those  who 
were  accused,  and  the  menacing  storm  blew  over  to 
the  great  joy  of  the  inhabitants. 

At  this  period  many  learned  and  eminent  men, 
both  in  England  and  America,  fully  believed  in  the 
existence  of  witchcraft.  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  one  of 
the  brightest  Ornaments  of  the  English  bench,  re 
peatedly  tried  and  condemned  persons  as  criminals, 
who  were  brought  before  him  charged  with  this 
crime. — It  must  be  confessed,  that  notwithstanding 
all  the  obloquy  and  contempt  which  isvnow  cast  upon 
our  forefathers  for  believing  in  the  existence  of 
witchcraft,  many  things  took  place  at  that  time, 

*A  cotemporary  writer  observes:  "As  to  the  method 
which  the  Salem  Justices  do  take  in  their  examinations,  it  is 
truly  this  :  A  warrant  being1  issued  out  to  apprehend  the  per 
sons  that  are  charged  and  complained  of  by  the  afflicted 
children,  as  they  are  called  ;  said  persons  are  brought  before 
the  justices,  the  afflicted  being-  present.  The  justices  ask 
the  apprehended  why  they  afflict  those  poor  children  ;  to 
which  the  apprehended  answer,  they  do  not  afflict  them. 
The  justices  order  the  apprehended  to  look  upon  the  said  chil 
dren,  which  accordingly  they  do ;  and  at  the  time  of  that  look 
(I  dare  not  say  by  that  look  as  the  Salem  gentlemen  do,)  the 
afflicted  are  cast  into  a  fit.  The  apprehended  are  then  blind 
ed,  and  ordered  to  touch  the  afflicted ;  and  at  that  touch, 
though  not  by  the  touch,  (as  above,)  the  afflicted  do  ordinarily 
come  out  of  their  fits.  The  afflicted  persons  then  declare 
and  affirm,  that  the  apprehended  have  afflicted  them  ;  upon 
which  the  apprehended  persons,  though  of  never  so  good  re- 
pnte,  are  forthwith  committed  to  prison  on  suspicion  of 
witchcraft." 


43 

(if  \ve  can  credit  the  accounts  given  by  many  re 
spectable  witnesses,)  which  would  be  extremely 
difficult  to  account  for,  on  natural  principles. 

(28.)   Captain  Kidd,  the  Pirate. 

Capt.  Robert  Kidd,  in  the  beginning  of  King 
William's  war,  commanded  a  privateer  in  the  West 
Indies,  and  by  several  adventurous  actions  acquired 
the  reputation  of  a  brave  man,  as  well  as  an  expe 
rienced  seaman.  About  this  time  the  pirates  were 
very  troublesome  in  those  parts:  whereupon  Capt, 
Kidd  was  recommended  by  Lord  Bellamont,  (then 
Governor  of  Barbadoes,)  to  the  British  government 
as  a  person  very  fit  to  be  entrusted  with  the  com 
mand  of  a  government  ship,  for  the  purpose  of  sup 
pressing  piracy.  The  proposal,  however,  through 
some  cause,  met  with  no  encouragement  from  the 
government ;  whereupon  Lord  Bellamont,  and  some 
others,  who  knew  of  great  captures  which  had  beca 
made  by  the  pirates,  and  what  prodigious  wealth 
must  be  in  their  possession,  were  tempted  to  fit  out 
a  ship  at  their  own  private  charge,  and  to  give  the 
command  of  her  to  Capt.  Kidd ;  and  to  give  the 
thing  a  greater  reputation,  as  well  as  to  keep  their 
seamen  under  better  command,  they  procured  the 
King's  commission  for  Capt.  Kidd.  This  commis 
sion  was  dated  at  Kensington,  Jan.  26,  1 695,  in  the 
seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  King  William  the  third. 
Kidd  having  received  this  commission  for  the  sup 
pression  of  piracy,  sailed  from  Plymouth,  England, 
in  the  Adventure  galley,  of  30  guns  and  80  men  5 
and  arrived  in  New  York,  where  he  had  a  family. 
Here  he  held  out  great  encouragement  for  others  to 
join  him,  and  he  soon  increased  his  company  to  15f* 
men. 


49 

With  this  company  he  proceeded  to  the  Madeiras, 
mid  Cape  Verde  Islands,  and  from  thence  to  the 
East  Indies,  in  order  to  suppress  piracies.  After  hav 
ing  cruised  about  in  those  seas  for  some  time  without 
any  success,  he  formed  the  resolution  of  becoming 
a  pirate  himself.  Finding  his  crew  not  averse  to 
such  a  course,  they  accordingly  commenced  the 
practice  uf  robbing.  After  having  taken  a  number 
of  rich  prizes,  Kidd  returned  to  America,  and  land 
ing  at  Boston  openly,  he  was  taken,  sent  to  England, 
and  executed  at  Execution  Dock,  with  six  of  his 
companions,  and  afterwards  hung  in  chains,  at  some 
distance  from  each  other,  down  the  river,  where 
their  bodies  hung  exposed  for  many  years.  ,„ 

The  remembrance  of  Capt.  Kidd  is  kept  alive  in 
the  eastern  States  by  the  circumstance  of  his  having 
buried  large  sums  of  money,  it  is  believed,  some 
where  on  the  coast.  There  have  been  many  at 
tempts  made  to  discover  this  treasure  by  digging, 
&c.  at  various  places : — how  much  of  it  has  been 
found,  or  whether  there  has  been  any  found  at  all. 
?s  a  matter  which  would  be  difficult  to  ascertain. 


(29.)  Great  Snow  Storm. 

In"  February,  1717,  fell  the  greatest  snow,  ever 
known  in  this  country,  or  perhaps  in  any  other.  So 
deep  was  the  snow,  that  people  stepped  out  of  their 
chamber  windows  on  snow  shoes  ;  with  this  fall  of 
snow  there  was  a  terrible  tempest.  Eleven  hun 
dred  sheep,  the  property  of  one  man,  were  found 
dead  ;  one  flock  of  a  hundred,  on  Fisher's  Island, 
were  found  buried  sixteen  feet  in  the  snow  ;  two  of 
them  only  were  alive,  they  having  subsisled  on  the 
wool  of  their  companions  twenty  eight  days  after 
the  storm. 

5* 


50 

(30.)  Dark  Days. 

We  find  recorded  in  History  instances  of  extreme 
darkness  in  the  day  time,  and  in  some  cases,  this 
obscurity  has  lasted  for  a  number  of  days.  The 
19th  of  May,  1780,  was  distinguished  by  the  phe 
nomenon  of  a  remarkable  darkness  over  all  the 
northern  States,  and  is  still  called  the  Dark  day.* 

The  darkness  commenced  between  the  hours  of 
ten  and  eleven,  A.  M.,  and  continued  till  the  middle 
of  the  next  night.  It  was  occasioned  by  a  thick 
vapor  or  cloud,  tinged  with  a  yellow  color,  or  faint 
red,  and  a  thin  coat  of  dust  was  deposited  on  white 
substances. t 

The  wind  was  at  the  southwest ;  and  the  dark 
ness  appeared  to  come  on  with  clouds  in  that  direc 
tion.  Its  extent  was  from  Falmouth,  (Maine,)  to 
New  Jersey.  The  darkness  appears  to  have  been 
the  greatest  in  the  county  of  Essex,  (Mass.,)  in 
the  lower  part  of  New  Hampshire,  and  Maine ;  it 
was  also  great  in  Rhode  Island  and  Connec 
ticut.  In  most  parts  of  the  country  where  the  dark 
ness  prevailed,  it  was  so  great,  that  persons  were 
unable  to  read  common  print,  determine  the  time  of 
day  by  their  clocks  or  watches,  dine,  or  manage 
their  'domestic  business,  without  additional  light ; 

*  At  this  time  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut  was  in  ses 
sion  in  Hartford.  A  very  general  opinion  prevailed,  that  the 
day  of  judgment  was  at  hand.  The  House  of  Representa 
tives,  being  unable  to  transact  their  business,  adjourned.  A 
proposal  to  adjourn  the  Council  was  under  consideration. 
When  the  opinion  of  Col.  Davenport  was  asked,  he  answer 
ed,  "  I  am  against  an  adjournment.  The  day  of  judgment 
is  eifher  approaching  or  it  is  not.  If  it  is  not,  there  is  no 
cause  for  an  adjournment :  if  it  is,  I  choose  to  be  found  do 
ing  my  duty.  I  wish  therefore  that  candles  may  be  brought." 

DwighVs  Travels,  Vol.  3. 

t  Webster. 


51 

u  candles  were  lighted  up  in  their  houses  ;  the  bird:? 
having  sung  their  evening  songs,  disappeared  and  be 
came  silent ;  the  fowls  retired  to  roost ;  the  cocks 
were  crowing  all  around  as  at  break  of  day ;  objects 
could  not  be  distinguished  but  at  a  very  little  dis 
tance;  and  every  thingbore  the  appearance  and 
gloom  of  night."* 

Beside  this  instance  of  uncommon  darkness,  there 
was  one  on  the  21st  of  October,  1716;  when  "people 
were  forced  to  light  candles  lo  eat  their  dinners  by,'* 
but  the  particulars  of  it  are  not  preserved.! 


(31.)  Northern  Lights. 

From  the  earliest  times,  we  have  some  imperfect 
accounts  of  lights  in  the  sky  ;  and  superstition  has 
represented  them  as  the  forerunners  of  bloody  wars 
and  other  calamities.  Sometimes  historians  speak  of 
them  as  troops  of  men,  armed  and  rushing  to  battle. 
For  about  three  hundred  years  past,  our  accounts  of 
northern  lights,  are  tolerably  correct.  There  was 
a  discontinuance  of  them  eighty  or  ninety  years, 
anterior  to  1707,  when  a  small  light  was  seen  by 
persons  in  Europe.  But  they  did  not  re-appear,  in 
full  splendor,  till  the  year  1716,  when  they  were  ob 
served  in  England.  Their  first  appearance  in 
America  was  December  11,  1719,  when  they  were 
remarkably  bright,  and  as  people  in  general  had 
never  heard  of  such  a  phenomenon,  they  were  ex 
tremely  alarmed,  with  the  apprehension  of  the  ap 
proach  of  the  final  judgment.  All  amusements, 
all  business,  and  even  sleep  was  interrupted  for 
want  of  a  little  knowledge  of  history.  From  1719 

*  Coll.  Hist.  Soc.  I.  95-98.    f  Philosophical  Trans.  No.  423, 


52 

to   1790,   these  lights  were   frequent,    when    they 
again  disappeared  for  ten  or  twelve  years. 

Webster's  Elements  of  Useful  Knowledge. 

A  beautiful  phenomenon  (connected,  as  is  supposed  with 
the  Boreal  Lights,)  was  seen  in  the  northern  States,  on  the 
28lh  of  August,  1827.  The  following  description  is  taken 
from  the  American  Journal  of  Science  and  Arts,  14th  vol. 
Art.  i6th.  "In  this  city  (New  York)  it  was  first  observed 
at  about  half  past  nine,  P.  M,,  at  which  time  the  light,  ex 
cepting  as  regards  its  whitish  hue,  resembled  that  produced 
by  a  fire  at  some  distance.  The  light  soon  however  became 
more  intense,  and  its  outline  more  distinctly  defined,  gradu 
ally  assuming  a  columnar  shape,  and  extending  from  about 
N.  N.  W.  to  a  point  in  the  opposite  horizon,  about  E.  N.  E. 
In  about  10  or,  15  minutes  from  the  time  I  first  observed  it, 
waves  of  light  in  detached  masses,  but  all  in  the  line  of  the 
luminous  arch, began  to  flow  from  the  eastern  towards  the  west 
ern  part  of  its  course,  until  the  whole  were  blended,  and  the 
heavens  were  adorned  with  the  beautiful  arch  extending  from 
the  terminations  above  named  to  a  point  about  15  degrees  north 
of  the  Zenith.  The  greatest  breadth  of  the  arch  at  its  centre, 
was  about  9  or  10  degrees,  tapering  from  that  point  to  the 
western  extremity,  (where  the  light  was  much  brighter,)  al 
most  to  a  point.  .  .  .  The  whole  arch  moved  with  a  gradual 
motion  towards  the  south,  and  passed  the  Zenith,  presenting  a 
broad,  bright  band  of  wavy  light.  As  it  passed  the  Zenith  to 
wards  the  south,  its  eastern  limb  became  less  distinct,  while 
the  western  part  became  more  exact  in  its  outline,  and  was  as 
well  defined,  as  a  pencil  of  rays  passed  through  a  prism  into 
a  dark  room.  The  color  was  a  bright  white,  and  slowly  faded, 
until  about  two  hours  from  the  time  of  its  first  appearance, 
when  it  was  no  longer  visible."  About  50  or  60  years  since, 
similar  appearances  were  observed  in  the  northern  States. 


(32.)  Gov.  Fletcher,  and  Capt.   Wadszuarth. 

In  1692,  Col.  Fletcher  arrived  with  the  commis 
sion  of  Governor  of  New  York,  and  was  also  vested 
with  r>lo«*"v  powers  of  commanding  the  whole  mi- 


53 

litia  of  Connecticut :  and  insisted  on  the  exercise 
of  that  command.  The  Legislature  of  Connecticut, 
knowing  that  authority  to  be  expressly  given  to  the 
Colony  by  charter,  would  not  submit  to  his  requisi 
tion  ;  but  the  Colony,  desirous  of  maintaining  a 
good  understanding  with  Gov.  Fletcher,  sent  Wil 
liam  Pitkin,  Esq.  to  New  York,  to  make  terms  with 
him  respecting  the  militia,  until  his  Majesty's  pleas 
ure  should  be  further  known.  No  terms  however 
could  be  made  with  the  Governor,  short  of  an  ex 
plicit  submission  of  the  militia  to  his  command.  On 
the  2Glh  Oct.  1693,  he  came  to  Hartford,  while  the 
Assembly  were  sitting,  and,  in  his  Majesty's  name 
demanded  that  submission.  The  Assembly  reso 
lutely  persisted  in  a  refusal.  After  the  requisition 
had  been  repeatedly  made,  with  plausible  explana 
tions,  and  serious  menaces,  Fletcher  ordered  his 
commission  and  instructions  to  be  read  in  audience 
of  the  trainbands  of  Haufuru,  which  bad  uOcn 
prudentially  assembled,  upon  his  order.  Capt. 
Wadsworth,  the  senior  officer,  who  was  at  that  mo 
ment  exercising  the  soldiers,  instantly  called  out, 
"  Beat  the  drums,"  which  in  a  moment  overwhelm 
ed  every  voice.  Fletcher  commanded  silence. 
No  sooner  was  a  second  attempt  made  to  read,  than 
Wadsworth  vociferated,  "  Drum,  drum,  I  say." 
The  drummers  instantly  beat  up  again  with  the  great 
est  possible  spirit.  "Silence,  silence,"  exclaimed  the 
Governor.  At  the  first  moment  of  a  pause,  Wads- 
worth  called  out  earnestly,  "  Drum,  arum,  I  say  ;" 
and  turning  to  his  Excellency,  said,  "If  1  am  inter 
rupted  again,  7  will  make  the  sun  '''shine  through  you 
in  a  moment"  This  decision  produced  its  proper 
effect;  and  the  Governor  and  his  suit  soon  returned 
to  New  York,  Holmes*  American  Annals* 


54 

(33.)    War  with  the  Tuscaroras. 

In  1710,  a  large  number  of  German  emigrants 
arrived  in  this  country  and  settled  in  North  Carolina. 
Two  years  after  their  arrival,  the  Tuscaroras,  Co- 
rees,  and  other  tribes  of  Indians,  formed  a  deep  con 
spiracy  for  the  extermination  of  the  English  settlers. 
Having  fortified  the  chief  town  in  the  Tuscarora 
nation,  for  the  security  of  their  own  families,  the 
different  tribes  met  at  this  place,  to  the  number  of 
1200  warriors,  and  laid  the  horrible  plot,  which 
was  concerted  and  executed  with  stability  and 
great  secrecy.  From  this  place  of  rendezvous  they 
sent  out  small  parties  which  entered  the  settlements 
by  different  roads,  under  the  mask  of  freindship. 
When  the  night  agreed  on  had  arrived,  they  enter 
ed  the  houses  of  the  settlers  and  demanded  provis 
ions  ;  and  feigning  displeasure,  fell  upon  them, 
and  murdered  men,  women  and  children,  without 

distinction.  About  Roanoke,  13T  perfeuua  per 
ished  in  the  massacre.  A  few  persons  escaping 
gave  the?  alarm  to  their  neighbors  the.  next  morn 
ing,  and  thus  prevented  the  entire  destruction  of  the 
Colony. 

Governor  Craven,  of  South  Carolina,  as  soon  as 
he  heard  of  this  massacre  immediately  sent  Col. 
Barn  well  with  600  militia  and  360  friendly  Indians, 
against  these  savages.  Marching  through  a  hideous 
wilderness,  'Barnwell  came  up  with  the  enemy, 
and  attacked  them  with  great  effect.  In  this  action 
he  killed  300  Indians,  and  took  about  100  prisoners. 
The  survivors  fled  to  their  fortified  town,  where  Col. 
Barnwell  surrounded  them  and  killed  a  great  num 
ber,  and  compelled  the  remainder  to  sue  for  peace. 
It  is  estimated  that  in  this  expedition,  nearly  a  thou 
sand  of  the  Tuscaroras  were  killed,  wounded,  and 


taken  prisoners.  Of  Barnwell's  men  five  were  kil 
led,  and  several  wounded  ;  of  his  Indians  thirty-six 
were  killed,  and  between  sixty  and  seventy  woun 
ded.* 

"  Never  had  any  expedition  against  the  savages 
in  Carolina  been  attended  withrsuch  hazards  and 
difficulties  ;  nor  had  the  conquest  of  any  tribe  of 
them  ever  been  more  general  and  complete."—- 
Most  of  the  Tuscaroras,  who  escaped,  abandoned 
their  country,  settled  among  the  Five  Nations,  and 
added  a  sixth  tribe,  since  which  time  they  have  beeR 
called  the  Six  Nations. 


(34.)   War  with  the  Yamasecs. 

In  the  year  1715,  an  Indian  war  broke  out  in 
South  Carolina,  which  threatened  a  total  extirpa 
tion  of  the  Colony.  The  numerous  and  powerful 
tribe  of  the  Yamasees,  possessing  a  large  territory 
back  of  Port  Royal  island,  were  the  most  active 
in  this  conspiracy.  On  the  fifteenth  of  April,  about 
break  of  day,  the  cries  of  war  gave  universal 
alarm ;  and,  in  a  few  hours,  above  ninety  persons 
were  massacred  in  Pocataligo  and  the  neighboring 
plantations.  A  Captain  of  the  militia,  escaping  to 
Port  Royal,  alarmed  the  town  ;  and  a  vessel  hap 
pening  to  be  in  the  harbor,  the  inhabitants  repaired 
precipitately  on  board,  sailed  for  Charleston,  and 
thus  providentially  escaped  a  massacre.  A  few 
families  of  planters  on  the  island,  not  having  timely 
notice  of  the  danger,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  sav- 
-ages. 

*  Holmes'  Annuls 


While  some  Indian  tribes  were  thus  advancing 
against  the  southern  frontiers  and  spreading  desola 
tion  through  the  province,  formidable  parties  from 
the  other  tribes  were  penetrating  into  the  settlements 
on  the  northern  borders  ;  for  every  tribe,  from  Flor 
ida  to  Cape  Fearjfevas  concerned  in  the  conspiracy. 
The  capital  trembled  for  its  own  perilous  situation. 
In  this  moment  of  universal  terror,  although  there 
were  no  more  than  one  thousand  two  hundred  men 
in  the  muster  roll,  lit  to  bear  arms ;  yet  the  Govern 
or  resolved  to  march  with  this  small  force  against 
the  enemy.  He  proclaimed  martial  law  ;  laid  an 
embargo  on  all  ships,  to  prevent  either  men  or  pro 
visions  from  leaving  the  country ;  and  obtained  an 
act  of  assembly,  empowering  him  to  impress  men, 
and  seize  arms,  ammunition  and  stores,  wherever 
they  were  to  be  found ;  to  arm  trusty  negroes  ;  and 
to  prosecute  the  war  with  the  utmost  vigor.  Agents 
were  sent  to  Virginia  and  England,  to  solicit  assis 
tance  ;  and  bills  were  stamped  for  the  payment  of 
the  army  and  other  expenses. 

The  Indians  on  the  northern  quarter,  about  fifty 
miles  from  Charleston,  having  murdered  a  family 
on  a  plantation  ;  Capt.  Barker,  receiving  intelli 
gence  of  their  approach,  collected  a  parly  of  ninety 
horsemen,  and  advanced  against  them.  Trusting 
however  to  an  Indian  guide,  he  was  led  into  an  am 
buscade,  and  slain  with  several  of  his  men.  The 
rest  retreated  in  confusion.  A  party  of  four  hun 
dred  Indians  came  down  as  low  as  Goose  Creek ; 
where  seventy  men  and  forty  negroes  had  surroun 
ded  themselves  with  a  breast  work,  with  the  resolu 
tion  of  maintaining  their  post.  Discouraged,  how 
ever,  almost  as  soon  as  attacked,  they  rashly  agreed 
to  terms  of  peace  ;  but  on  admitting  the  enemy 


Flight  <"/  /ft-'  .('/>i  tin'</rt/,- 
TTnit-wl 


t',rf/tf  *//i>\v  in  1T17 


within  their  works,  they  were  barbarously  murdered. 
The  Indians  now  advanced  still  nearer  to  Charles 
ton  ;  but  were  repulsed  by  the  militia. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Yamasees,  with  their  con- 
federar.es,  had  spread  destruction  through  the  par 
ish  of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  proceeded  down  to 
Stono.  ^Governor  Cravan,  advancing  towards  the 
.wily  enemy,  with  cautious  steps,  dispersed  their 
straggling  parties,  until  he  reached  Saltcatchers, 
where  they  had  pitched  their  camp.  Here  was 
fought  a  severe  and  bloody  battle,  from  behind 
trees  and  bushes;  the  Indians  with  their  terrible 
war  whoops,  alternately  retreating,  and  returning 
with  ..double  fury  to  the  charge.  The  Governor, 
undismayed,  pressed  closely  on  them  with  his  pro 
vincials  ;  drove  them  from  their  territory ;  pursued 
them  over  Savannah  river;  and  thus  expelled 
them  from  the  province* 

In  this  Indian  war,  nearly  four  hundred  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Carolina  were  slain.  The  Yama 
sees,  after  their  expulsion,  went  directly  to  the 
Spanish  territories  in  Florida,  where  they  were  hos 
pitably  received.  —  Holmes9  American  Annals. 


(35.)  Inoculation  Introduced. 

The  inoculation  of  small  pox  was  first  perform 
ed  in  the  English  dominions,  in  Apr^  1721,  upon 
a  daughter  of  the  celebrated  Lady  M.  W.  Mon 
tague,  who  had  become  acquainted  with  inocula 
tion  as  practised  by  Turkish  women,  during  her 
residence  in  Constantinople. 

About  this  time,  Dr.  Zabdiel  Boyelston,  of  Boston, 
was  induced  to  adopt  the  same  expedient,  from 
reading  an  account  of  inoculation,  and  made  hi? 
6 


58 

first  experiment  by  inoculating  his  only  son  a-nd 
two  negro  servants,  on  the  27th  June,  1721. 
Probably  there  never  was  greater  opposition  to  any 
measure  of  real  public  utility,  than  was  exhibited 
on  this  occasion.  Dr.  Boyleston  was  execrated 
and  persecuted  as  a  murderer,  assaulted  in  the 
streets,  and  loaded  with  every  species  of  abuse. 
His  house  was  attacked  with  violence,  so  that  nei 
ther  himself  nor  his  family  could  feel  secure  in  it. 
At  one  time  he  remained  fourteen  days  in  a  secret 
apartment  of  his  own  house,  unknown  to  any  of^his 
family  except  his  wife.  The  enraged  inhabitants 
patrolled  the  town  in  parties,  with  halters  in  their 
hands,  threatening  to  hang  him  on  the  nearest  tree, 
and  repeatedly  entered  his  house  in  search  of  him, 
during  his  concealment.  Such  was  the  madness  of 
the  multitude,  that  even  after  the  excitement  had 
in  some  measure  subsided,  Dr.  Boyleston  only  ven 
tured  -to  .v'jsit  his  .patients  at  midnight,  and  then  in 
disguise.  He  had  also  to  encounter  violent  opposi 
tion  from  most  of  the  members  of  his  own  profes 
sion,  and  notwithstanding  he  invited  them  all  to  vi 
sit  his  patients,  and  judge  for  themselves,  received 
nothing  but  threats  and  insults  in  reply.  Indeed, 
many  sober,  pious  people,  were  deliberately  of 
opinion,  when  inoculation  was  first  commenced, 
that  should  any  of  his  patients  die,  the  Doctor  ought 
to  be  capitallf  indicted.  He  was  repeatedly  sum 
moned  before  the  selectmen  of  Boston,  and  receiv 
ed  their  reprehension.  His  only  friends  were  Dr. 
Cotton  Mathqr,  and  other  clergymen,  most  of  whom 
became  zealous  advocates  for  the  new  practice, 
and  consequently  drew  upon  themselves  much  odi 
um  from  the  populace.  Some  of  them  received 
personal  injury  ;  others  were  insulted  in  the  streets^ 
and  were  hardly  safe  in  their  own  dwellings;  nor 


59 

were  their  services  acceptable  on  Sunday  to  their 
respective  audiences* 

A  bill  for  prohibiting  the  practice  of  inoculation, 
under  severe  penalties,  was  brought  before  the  Le 
gislature  of  Massachusetts,  and  actually  passed  the 
House  of  Representatives,  but  some  doubts  exist 
ing  in  the  Senate,  it  failed  of  becoming  a  law. 

Dr.  Boyleston  lived  to  see  the  cause  he  espoused 
triumphant,  and  its  utility  generally  appreciated. 
So  prone  are  mankind  to  vacillate  from  one  extreme 
to  the  other,  that,  on  a  subsequent  appearance  of 
the  small  pox  in  Boston,  in  the  year  1792,  the 
whole  town  was  inoculated  in  three  days,  to  ap 
pease  the  infatuation  of  the  inhabitants  respecting 
the  danger  apprehended  from  this  deadly  pesti 
lence.  Persons  were  inoculated  indiscriminately, 
to  the  number  of  9,152;  and  such  was  the  hurry 
and  confusion  with  which  it  was  done,  and  such  the 
impossibility  of  rendering  proper  assistance  and  at 
tention  to  so  large  a  number,  that  16£  deaths  was 
the  consequence. — Connecticut  Journal. 


(36.)  Father  Ralle\  the  French  Jesuit. 

During  the  war  between  England  and  France, 
and  while  Canada  was  in  the  possession  of  the  latter 
power,  the  Indians  were  often  instigated  by  them, 
to  fall  on  the  frontier  settlements  of  the  British  Co 
lonies.  In  these  proceedings,  the  French  Govern 
or  of  Canada  was  much  assisted  by  the  Roman 
Catholic  Missionaries,  who  had  attained  a  great  as 
cendancy  over  the  Indians. 

One  of  the  most  celebrated  of  these  missionaries, 
was  Father  Sebastian  Rnlle\  a  French  Jesuit,  who 
spent  thirty-seven  years  among  the  Indian  tribes, 


60 

in  the  interior  parts  of  America;  and  learned  most 
of  their  languages.  He  was  a  man  of  learning  and 
address ;  and  by  a  gentle,  condescending  deport 
ment,  and  a  compliance  with  the  Indian  modes  and 
customs,  he  obtained  a  complete  ascendancy  over 
the  natives ;  and  used  his  influence  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  French  among  them.  u  He  even 
made  the  offices  of  devotion,  serve  as  incentives  to 
their  ferocity;  and  kept  a  flag,  on  which  was  depict 
ed,  a  cross,  surrounded  by  bows  and  arrows,  which 
he  used  to  hoist  on  a  pole  at  the  door  of  his  church,, 
when  he  gave  them  absolution,  previous  to  their  en* 
gaging  in  any  warlike  enterprize."  A  dictionary  of 
the  Norridgwock  language  was  found  among  Ralle''s 
papers,  composed  by  himself,  and  it  was  deposited 
in  the  Library  of  Harvard  College. 

The  English  settlers,  having  for  a  number  Of 
years  suffered  from  the  depredations  of  the  Indians 
in  those  parts,  in  the  'year  1722,  sent  Col.  West, 
brook,  with  230  men  to  seize  Halle',  who  was  re 
garded  as  the  principal  instigator;  but  he  escaped 
into  the  woods,  and  they  merely  brought  oflf  his 
strong  box  of  papers.  The  Indians,  to  revenge  this 
attempt  to  carry  off  their  spiritual  father,  commit 
ted  various  acts  of  hostility,  and  at  length  destroy 
ed  the  town  of  Berwick.  This  last  act,  determined 
the  government  to  issue  a  declaration  of  war,  and 
send  an  expedition  against  Norridgwock,  and  en 
trust  the  execution  of  it  to  Captains  Mouhon  and 
Harman.  These  officers,  each  at  the  head  of  one 
hundred  men,  invested  and  surprised  that  village, 
killed  the  obnoxious  Jesuit,  with  about  eighty  of  his 
Indians,  recovered  three  captives,  destroyed  the 
chapel,  brought  away  the  plate  and  furniture  of  the 


61 

altar,  and  a  devotional  flag,  as  trophies  of  their  vic 
tory.* 


(37.)  Natchez  Indians  Extirpated. 

In  1 729,  the  Natchez,  an  Indian  nation  on  the  Mis 
sissippi,  formed  a  general  conspiracy  to  massacre  the 
French  Colonists  of  Louisiana.  M.  de  Chepar,  who 
commanded  at  the  post  of  the  Natchez,  had  been 
somewhat  embroiled  with  the  natives  ;  but  they  so  far 
dissembled,  as  to  excite  the  belief,  that  the  French 
had  no  allies  more  faithful  than  they.  The  plot 
having  been  deeply  laid,  they  appeared  in  great 
numbers  about  the  French  houses,  on  the  28th  of 
November,  telling  the  people  that  they  were  going 
a  hunting.  They  sang  after  the  calumet,  in  honor 
of  the  French  commandant  and  his  company. 
Each  having  returned  to  his  post,  a  signal  was  giv 
en,  and  instantly  the  general  massacre  began. 
Two  hundred  Frenchmen  were  killed.  Of  all  the 
people  at  Natchez,  not  more  than  twenty  French, 
and  five  or  six  negroes,  escaped.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  children,  eighty  women,  and  nearly  as 
many  negroes  were  made  prisoners. 

M.  Perier,  Governor  of  Louisiana,  resolved  on 
an  expedition  against  the  Natchez,  to  revenge  their 
massacre  of  the  French.  M.  le  Sueur,  whom  he 
had  sent  to  the  Choctaws,  to  engage  their  assist 
ance,  arrived  in  February  near  the  Natchez,  at  the 
head  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  Choctaw  war 
riors  ;  and  was  joined  in  March  by  a  body  of  French 
troops  under  M.  de  Loubois,  King's  Lieutenant, 
who  had  the  chief  command  of  the  expedition. 
The  army  encamped  near  the  ruins  of  the^  old 

^Holmes'  American  Annals, 
6* 


62 

French  settlement;  and,  after  resting  there  five 
days,  marched  to  the  enemy's  fort,  which  was  a 
league  distant.  After  opening  the  trenches,  and 
firing  several  days  on  the  fort  without  much  effect, 
the  French  at  last  approached  so  near,  that  the 
Natchez  sent  conditional  proposals  of  releasing  all 
the  French  women  and  children  in  their  possession  ; 
but,  gaining  time  by  negociation,  they  silently  eva 
cuated  the  fort  in  the  night,  with  all  their  baggage 
and  the  French  plunder.  The  French  prisoners 
however  were  ransomed  ;.  the  stockade  fort  of  the 
Natchez  was  demolished. ;  a  terrace  fort  built  in  its 
place  j  and  a  garrison,  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  men 
left  there  with  cannoii  and  ammunition. 

M.  Perier,  learning  afterwards,  that  the  Natchez 
had  retired  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi,  near  the 
Silver  Creek,  about  sixty  leagues  from  the  mouth 
of  Red  River,  applied  to  the  French  court  for  suc 
cors  to  reduce  them.  M.  Perier  de  Sal  vert,  brother 
of  the  Governor,  arriving  from  France  with  a  hun 
dred  and  fifty  soldiers  of  the  marine ;  the  two  bro 
thers  set  out  with  their  army,  and  arrived  without  ob 
struction  near  the  retreat  of  the  Natchez.  The  en 
emy,  terrified  at  their  approach,  shut  themselves  up 
in  a  fort  which  they  had  built ;  but  were  soon  forced, 
by  the  fire  from  the  French  mortars,  to  make  signals 
for  capitulation.  The  French  army  carried  the 
Natchez  to  New  Orleans,  where  they  were  confined 
in  separate  prisons ;  and  afterwards  were  transport 
ed,  as  slaves,  to  St.  Domingo.  Thus  that  nation, 
the  most  illustrious  in  Louisiana,  and  the  most  use 
ful  to  the  French,  was  destroyed* — Holmes9  Amen- 
ctin  Annttls, 


*"~  (38.)  Negro  Insurrection  in  Carolina, 

In  1738,  the  Spaniards  attempted  to  seduce  the 
Negroes  of  South  Carolina,  who  amounted  at  that 
time  to  the  formidable  number  of  forty  thousand. 

Liberty  and  protection   had  long   been  promised 
and  proclaimed  to  them  by  the  Spaniards  at  St.  Au 
gustine;  and  emissaries  had  been  sent  among  them, 
to  persuade  them  to  fly  from  slavery  to  Florida. 
The  influence  of  these  measures  was  such  as  might 
have  been  expected.     An   insurrection  of  negroes 
broke  out,  this  year,  in  the  heart  of  Carolina.     A 
number  of  them,  having  collected  at  Stono,  surpri 
sed  and  killed  two  men  in  a  warehouse,  from  which 
they  took  guns  and  ammunition  ;  chose  a  Captain ; 
and,  with  colors  and  drums,  began  a  march  toward 
the  southwest,  burning  every  house,  and  killing  ev 
ery  white  person  in  their  way,  and  compelling  the 
negroes  to  join  them.     Governor  Bull,  returning  to 
Charleston  from  the  southward,  and  meeting  them 
armed,  hastened  out  of  their  way  and  spread  the 
alarm.     It  soon  reached  Wihown,  where  a  large, 
Presbyterian   assembly  was  attending  divince  ser 
vice.     The  men,  who,  according  to  a  law  of  the 
province,    had   brought  their  arms    to   the  place 
of   worship,    left  the  women  in  the  church,    and 
instantly  marched  in  quest  of  the  negroes,  who,  by 
this  time  had  become  formidable,  and  spread  deso 
lation  above  twelve  miles.     Availing  themselves  of 
their  superior  military  skill,  and  of  the  intoxication 
of  several  of  the  negroes,  they  attacked  the  great 
body  of  them  in  the  open  field,  killed  some,  and 
dispersed  the  rest.     Most  of  the  fugitives  were  ta 
ken  and  tried.     They,  who  had  been  compelled  to 


64 

join  the  conspirators,  were  pardoned  ;  but  all  the 
chosen  leaders  and 'first  insurgents  suffered  death. 
Holmes'  American  Annals. 


(39.)  Invasion  of  Georgia. 

In  1742,  two  years  after  the  declaration  of  war 
by  England  against  Spain,  the  Spaniards  attacked 
Georgia.  A  Spanish  armament,  consiting  of  thirty- 
two  sail,  with  three  thousand  men,  under  command 
of  Don  Manuel  de  Monteano,  sailed  from  St.  Au 
gustine,  and  arrived  in  the  river  Altamaha.  The 
expedition,  although  fitted  out  at  great  expense, 
failed  of  accomplishing  its  object. 

General  Oglethorpe  was  at  this  time  time  at  fort 
Simons.  Finding  himself  unable  to  retain  possession 
of  it,  having  but  about  seven  hundred  men,  he  spi 
ked  his  cannon,  and,  destroying  his  military  stores, 
retreated  to  his  head  quarters  at  Frederica. 

On  the  first  prospect  of  an-  invasion,  General  Ogle 
thorpe  had  applied  to  the  Governor  of  South  Caro 
lina  for  assistance,  but  the  Carolinians,  fearing  for 
the  safety  of  their  own  territory,  and  not  approving, 
of  General  Oglethorpe's  management  in  his  late 
expedition  against  St.  Augustine,  declined  furnish 
ing  troops,  but  voted  supplies. 

In  this  state  of  danger  and  perplexity,  the  Gene 
ral  resorted  to  stratagem.  A  French  soldier  be 
longing  to  his  army,  deserted  to  the  enemy.  Fear 
ing  the  consequences  of  their  learning  his  weakness, 
he  devised  a  plan  by  which  to  destroy  the  credit  of 
any  information  that  the  deserter  might  give. 

With  this  view,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  French 
deserter  in  the  Spanish  camp,  addressing  him  as  if 
he  were  a  spy  of  the  English.  This  letter  he  bribed 


65 

a  Spanish  captive  to  deliver,  in  which  he  directed 
the  deserter  to  state  to  the  Spaniards,  that  he  was 
in  a  weak  and  defenceless  condition,  and  to  urge 
them  to  an  attack. 

Should  he  not  be  able,  however,  to  persuade 
them  to  do  this,  he  wished  him  to  induce  them  to  con 
tinue  three  days  longer  at  their  quarters,  in  which- 
time  he  expected  two  thousand  men,  and  six  Brit 
ish  men  of  war,  from  Carolinia.  The  above  letter, 
as  was  intended,  was  delivered  to  the  SpanislvGene- 
ral,  instead  of  the  deserter,  who  immediately  put  the 
latter  in  irons. 

A  council  of  war  was  called,  and  while  delibe 
rating  upon  the  measures  which  should  be  taken, 
three  supply  ships,  which  had  been  voted  by  Caro 
lina,  appeared  in  sight.  Imagining  these  to  be  the 
men  of  war,  aHuded  to  in  the  letter,  the  Spaniards, 
in  great  haste,  fired  the  fort,  and  embarked,  leav 
ing  behind  them  several  cannon,  and  a  quantity  of 
provision.  By  this  artful,  but  unjustifiable  expedi 
ent,  the  country  was  relieved  of  its  invaders,  and 
Georgia,  and  probably  a  great  part  of  South  Caro 
lina  was  saved  from  ruin.' — Goodrich1  s  History  of 
the  United  States. 


(40.)  Capture  of  Louisburg* 

Great  Britain  having  declared  war  agafnst 
France,  in  March,  1744,  the  Legislature  of  Massa 
chusetts  planned  a  daring,  but  surcessful  enterprize 
against  Louisburg,  a  strong  fortress,  belonging  to 
the  French,  on  the  island  of  Cape  Breton.  The 
place  had  been  fortified  by  the  French,  at  an  ex 
pense  of  five  millions  and  a  half  of  dollars,  and  on 
account  of  i£s  strength >  was  sometimes  called  the 


ss 

"  Gibraltar  of  America.'1  About  4000  troops, 
from  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  New  Hamp 
shire,  under  the  command  of  Col.  William  Pe^er- 
ell,  sailed  from  Boston  in  the  last  week  in  March, 
1745.  The  expedition  was  undertaken  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  government  of  England  ;  but  a 
request  had  been  made  to  Commodore  Warren,  then 
in  the  West  Indies,  to  assist  the  expedition.  He 
accordingly  arrived  at  Louisburg,  with  a  60  g,un 
ship,  and  two  or  three  frigates.  In  the  last  of 
April,  the  troops,  3,800  in  number,  landed  at  Cha- 
peaurogue  bay.  "  The  transports  had  been  dis 
covered  early  in  the  morning  from  the  town,  which 
was  the  first  nonce  they  had  of  the  design.  In  the 
night  of  May  2,  400  men  burned  the  warehouses, 
containing  the  naval  stores.  The  French  were 
alarmed,  spiked  their  guns,  flung  their  powder  into 
a  well,  and  abandoning  the  fort,,  fled  to  the  city. 
The  New  England  troops  cheerfully  submitted  to 
extreme  hardships;  for  14  nights  successively,  they 
were  yoked  together  like  oxen,  dragging  can 
non,  and  mortars  through  a  morass  of  two  miles. 
The  commanding  artillery  of  the  enemy  forbade 
this  toil  in  the  da^^^o  people  on  earth,  perhaps,  are 
more  capable  o^Prch  laborious  and  daring  exploits, 
than  the  independent  farmers  of  New  England.  On 
the  17th  of  June,  the  garrison  capitulated,  but  the 
flag  of  France  was  kept  flying,  which  decoyed  into 
the  harbor,  ships  of  the  enemy,  to  the  value  of 
/600.000  sterling.  The  weather,  during  the  siege, 
was  fine,  but  the  day  following  the  rains  began, 
which  continued  10  days,  and  must  have  proved 
fatal  to  the  provincial  troops,  had  not  the  capitu 
lation  prevented.  The  people  of  New  England 
were  d<  eply  affected  by  this  evident  interposition  of 
divine  Providence." 


67 


-(41.)  D'Anmlh's  Expedition.' 

The  capture  of  Louisburg,  roused  the  Frencfc 
government  to  seek  revenge.  A  very  large  fleet, 
in  1746,  was  sent  from  France,  under  the  command 
of  Duke  D'Anville,  to  America.  This  fleet  consist 
ed  of  about  forty  ships  of  war,  beside  transports  ; 
and  brought  over  between  three  and  four  thousand 
regular  troops,  with  veteran  officers,  and  all  kinds 
of  military  stores ;  the  most  powerful  armament, 
that  had  ever  'been  sent  to  North  America.  The  bb- 
ject  of  this  great  armament  was  supposed  to  be,  to 
recover  Louisburg;  to  take  Annapolis*;  to  break  up 
the  settlements  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Massachu 
setts  ;  and  to  distress,  if  not  attempt  to  conquer, 
the  whole  country  of  New  England.  The  troops, 
destined  for  Canada,  had  now  sufficient  employ 
ment  at  home  ;  and  the  militia  was  collected  to  join 
them.  The  old  forts  on  the  sea  coast  were  repair 
ed  ;  new  forts  were  erected;  and  military  guards 
appointed.  The  country  was  kept  in  a  state  of 
anxiety  arid  fear  six  weeks ;  when  it  was  relieved, 
by  intelligence  of  the  disabled  state  of  the  enemy. 
The  French  fleet  had  sustaine$J(plch  damage  by 
storms,  and  great  loss  by  shipwrecks.  An  expect 
ed  junction  of  M.  Conflans,  with  three  ships  of  the 
line  and  a  frigate  from  Hispaniola,  had  failed.  A 
pestilential  fever  prevailed  among  the  French  troops. 
Intercepted  letters,  opened  in  a  council  of  war, 
raising  expectation  of  the  speedy  arrival  of  an  En- 
giish  fleet,  caused  a  division  among  the  officers. 
Under  the  pressure  of  these  adverse  occurrences, 
D"'Anville  was  either  seized  with  an  apoplectic  fit, 
or  took  a  poisonous  draught,  and  suddenly  ex 
pired.  D'Estournelle,  who  succeeded  him  in  the 
command  of  the  fleet,  proposed  in  a  council  of  of- 


68 

ficers,  to  abandon  the  expedition,  and  return  to 
France.  The  rejection  of  his  proposal  caused  such 
extreme  agitation,  as  to  bring  on  a  fever,  which 
threw  him  into  a  delirium,  and  he  fell  on  his  sword. 
The  French,  thus  disconcerted  in  their  plan,  re 
solved  to  ma'ke  an  attempt  on  Annapolis  ;  but  hav 
ing  sailed  from  Chebucto,  they  were  overtaken  -by  a 
violent  tempest,  off  Cape  Sable,  and  what  ships 
escaped  destruction,  returned  singly  to  France. 

A  more  remarkable  instance  of  preservation  sel 
dom  occurs.  Had  the  project  of  the  enemy  suc 
ceeded,  it  is  impossible  to  determine  to  what  extent 
the  American  Colonies  would  have  foeen  distressed 
or  desolated.  When  man  is  made  the  instrument  of 
averting  public  calamity,  the  divine  agency  ought 
<still  to  fee  acknowledged  ;  but  this  was  averted  with 
out  human  power.  If  philosophers  would  ascribe 
this  event  to  blind  chance,  or  fatal  necessity,  Chris 
tians  will  assuredly  ascribe  it  to  the  operation  of  that 
Being,  who,  in  ancient  times,  caused  "  the  stars,  in 
their. courses,  to  fight  against  Sisera." 

Holmes'  American  Annals* 


(42.)   Tumult  in  Boston. 

•In  the  year  1747,  a  great  tumult  was  raised  in  .the 
town  of  Boston.  Commodore  Knowles,  while  ly 
ing  at  Nantasket  with  a  number  of  men  of  war,  los 
ing  some  of  his  sailors  by  desertion,  thought  it 
reasonable  that  Boston  should  supply  him  with  as 
many  men  as  he  had  lost.  He  therefore  sent  his 
boats  up  to  town,  early  in  the  morning,  and  surpri 
sed,  not  only  as  many  seamen  as  could  be  found 
on  board  any  of  the  ships,  outward  bound,  as  well 
as  others,  but  swept  the  wharves,  taking  some  ship 


69 

carpenter's  apprentices,  and  laboring  landmen. 
This  conduct  was  universally  resented  as  outra 
geous.  A  mob  was  soon  collected.  As  soon  as  it 
was  dusk,  several  thousand  people  assembled  in 
King's-street,  below  the  town-house,  where  the 
general  court  was  sitting.  Stones  and  brickbats 
were  thrown  into  the  council  -chamber  through  the 
windows.  A  judicious  speech  of  the  Governor, 
from  the  balcony,  greatly  disapproving  of  the  im 
press,  promising  his  utmost  endeavors  to  obtain 
the  discharge  of  the  persons  impressed,  and  gently 
reprehending  the  irregular  proceedings  of  the  peo 
ple,  had  no  effect.  Equally  ineffectual  were  the 
attempts  of  other  gentlemen  to  persuade  them  to 
disperse.  The  seizure  and  restraint  of  the  com 
manders  and  other  officers,  who  were  in  town,  were 
insisted  on,  as  the  only  effectual  method  to  procure 
the  release  of  the  inhabitants  on  board  the  ships. 
The  militia  of  Boston  was  summoned  the  next  day, 
to  the  aid  of  the  government,  but  refused  to  appear. 
The  Governor,  judging  it  inexpedient  to  remain  in 
town  another  night,  withdrew  to  Castle  William, 
Letters,  in  the  meantime,  were  continually  passing 
between  him  and  the  Commodore.  The  council 
and  house  of  representatives  now  passed  some  vig 
orous  resolutions  ;  and  the  tumultuous  spirit  began 
to  subside.  The  inhabitants,  assembled  in  town- 
meeting,  while  they  expressed  their  sense  of  the  great 
insult  and  injury"  by  the  impress,  condemned  the 
riotous  transactions.  The  militia  of  the  town,  the 
next  day,  promptly  made  their  appearance,  and 
conducted  the  Governor  with  great  pomp,  to  his 
house.  The  Commodore  dismissed  mo.st,  if  not 
all,  of  the  inhabitants,  who  had  been  impressed  ; 
and  the  squadron  sailed,  to  the  joy  and  repose  of 
the  town. — Holmes'  Annals. 


70 
(43.)  Braddock' s  Defeat. 

The  encroachments  of  the  French,  and  the  erec 
tion,  by  them,  of  a  chain  of  forts  on  the  back  set 
tlements  of  the  Colonies,  occasioned  the  British 
ministry  to  take  measures  to  possess  themselves  of 
these  forts,  and  drive  the  French  from  the  country, 

In  the  spriife^f  1755,  General  Braddock  arrived 
in  Virginia  witlftwo  regiments,  and  was  soon  join 
ed  by  Colonel  Washington  (afterwards  General 
Washington,)  with  a  body  of  colonial  troops;  the 
whole  force,  two  thousand  men,  took  up  their 
march  for  the  French  fort  on  the  Ohio.  General 
Braddock,  on  the  9th  July,  with  twelve  hundred  of 
his  troops,  was  within  seven  miles  of  Du  Quesne, 
a  French  fortress,  which  stood  where  Pittsburg  is 
now  built.  Here  Colonel  Washington,  who  under 
stood  the  Indian  mode  of  warfare  better  than  his 
General,  requested  him  to  reconnoitre  with  his  Vir 
ginia  riflemen.  But  General  Braddock,  who  held 
the  American  officers  in  contempt,  rejected  Wash 
ington's  council,  and  swelling  with  rage,  replied 
with  an  oath,  "High  times!  Pligh  times!  when  a 
young  buckskin  can  teach  a  British  General  how  to 
fight  /"  The  troops  advanced  in  heavy  columns, 
and  passing  a  narrow  defile,  they  fell  into  an  am 
bush  of  French  and  Indians,  who  opened  a  deadly 
fire  upon  the  English  and  American  troops,  who 
were  obliged  to  fire  at  random,  as  they  could  not 
see  their  foe. 

Braddock  continued  to  urge  on  his  men,  until  he 
was  mortally  wounded,  and  about  seven  hundred 
men  were  killed,  including  many  of  his  principal 
officers.  Colonel  Washington  now  covered  the  re 
treat  of  the  regulars,  and  saved  them  from  entire 
destruction. 


71 
(44.)  Massacre  at  Fort  William  Henry. 

In  the  year  1757.  Mons.  Montcalm,  with  a  body  of 
1 1,000  Regular  French  troops  and  Canadians,  with 
2,000  Indians,  laid  seige  to  Fort  William  Henry. 
This  fort  was  defended  by  a  garrison  of  but  2.300 
men,  British  and  Provincials,  under  the  command 
of  Col.  Monro.  The  garrison  made  a  brave  re 
sistance,  and  would  have  probably  preserved  the 
fort,  had  they  been  properly  supported  by  the  Brit 
ish  army  under  Gen.  Webb,  which  was  then  en 
camped  at  Fort  Edward.  The  General,  however, 
sent  to  Col.  Monro,  and  informed  him  that  he  could 
not  assist  him,  and  ordered  him  to  give  up  the  fort, 
on  the  best  terms  he  could  ;  which  was  accordingly 
done. 

In  consideration  of  the  gallant  defence  the  garri 
son  had  made,  they  were  to  be  permitted  to  march 
out  with  all  the  honors  of  war, — and  with  a  guard 
to  protect  them  from  the  fury  of  the  savages. — 
Soon  after  the  capitulation  was  signed,  the  whole 
garrison,  besides  women  and  children,  were  drawn 
up  within  the  lines,  and  on  the  point  of  marching 
off,  when  great  numbers  of  the  Indians  gathered 
about  and  began  to  plunder,  and  soon  after  some 
of  them  began  to  attack  the  sick  and  wounded, 
when  such  were  not  able  to  crawl  into  the  ranks; 
notwithstanding  they  endeavored  to  avert  the  fury 
of  their  enemies  by  their  shrieks  and  groans,  they 
were  soon  murdered. 

The  brave  Col.  Monro  hastened  away,  soon  af 
ter  the  confusion  began,  to  the  French  camp,  to  en 
deavor  to  procure  the  guard  agreed  by  the  stipula 
tion,  but  his  application  proved  ineffectual. — By  this 
time  the  war-whoop  was  given,  and  the  Indians  be 
gan  to  murder  those  who  were  nearest  them  without 


72 

distinction.  u  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  words?"  says 
the  narrator,  who  was  one  of  this  ill  fated  garrison, 
;<  to  give  any  tolerable  idea  of  the  horrid  scene 
that  now  ensued  ;  men,  women,  and  children,  were 
dispatched  in  the  most  wanton  and  cruel  manner, 
and  immediately  scalped.  Many  of  the  savages 
drank  the  blood  of  their  victims,  as  it  flowed  warm 
from  the  fatal  wound." 

The  garrison  now  perceived,  though  too  late  to 
avail  them,  that  they  were  to  expect  no  relief  from 
the  French,  who  instead  of  fulfilling  their  promises 
to  furnish  a  guard  to  protect  them,  seemed  tacitly 
to  permit  their  savage  allies  to  perpetrate  these  hor 
rid  atrocities.  A  few  of  the  most  resolute  men,  see 
ing  no  other  probable  way  of  preserving  their  lives, 
made  a  desperate  effort — broke  their  way  through- 
the  surrounding  savages,  and  escaped. 

It  was  computed  that  fifteen  hundred  persons 
were  killed  or  made  prisoners  by  these  savages  du 
ring  this  fatal  day.  Many  of  the  latter  were  carri 
ed  off  by  them  and  never  returned.  A  few,  through 
favorable  accidents,  found  their  way  back  to  their 
native  country",  after  having  experienced  a  long  and 
painful  captivity. 


(45.)  Abercrombie?s  Defeat. 

The  French  had  erected  a  fort  at  Ticonderogn,  at 
the  point  of  communication  between  Lake  George, 
South  Bay,  and  Lake  Champlain.  To  dispossess 
them  of  this  important  place,  an  army,  under  Gen. 
Abercrombic,  was  sent  against  it.  His  force  con 
sisted  of  1C. 000  men,  of  which  6,000  were  British 
regulars,  and  10,000  were  Colonial  troops.  On 
the  5th  July,  1758.  he  embarked  his  troops  on. 


73 

Lake  George,  on  board  125  whale  boats,  and  900 
batteaux.  The  imposing  splendor  of  the  military 
parade  on  this  occasion,  is  thus  described  by  Dr. 
Dwight : — "  The  morning  was  remarkably  bright 
and  beautiful ;  and  the  fleet  moved  with  exact  re 
gularity  to  the  sound  of  fine  martial  music.  The 
ensigns  waved  and  glittered  in  the  sun  beams,  and 
the  anticipation  of  future  triumph  shone  in  every 
eye.  Above,  beneath,  around,  the  scenery  was 
that  of  enchantment.  Rarely  has  the  sun,  since 
that  luminary  was  lighted  up  in  the  heavens,  dawn 
ed  on  such  a  complication  of  beauty  and  magnifi 
cence." 

After  disembarking  from  the  batteaux,  the  army 
formed  in  four  columns,  and  began  their  march 
through  the  woods  to  Ticonderoga.  When  ap 
proaching  the  fort,  a  skirmish  took  place  with  the 
enemy,  in  which  Lord  Howe,  the  idol  of  the  army, 
was  killed ;  on  seeing  him  fall,  the  troops  moved 
forward  determined  to  avenge  his  death.  About 
300  of  the  enemy  were  killed  on  the  spot,  and  148 
taken.  Abercrombie  having  received  information 
that  the  garrison  consisted  of  about  6,000  men  and 
that  a  reinforcement  of  3,000  more  were  daily  ex 
pected,  determined  to  attack  their  lines.  Without 
gaining  a  proper  knowledge  of  the  works  of  the 
enemy,  or  of  the  proper  points  of  attack,  Aber 
crombie  ordered  an  immediate  assault.  "  The  ar 
my  advanced  to  the  charge  with  the  greatest  intre 
pidity,  and  for  more  than  two  hours,  with  incredi 
ble  obstinacy,  maintained  the  attack.  But  the 
works,  where  the  principal  attack  was  made,  were 
eight  or  nine  feet  high,  and  impregnable,  even  by 
field  pieces;  and  for  nearly  100  yards  from  the 
breast  work,  trees  were  felled  so  thick,  and  wrought 
together  with  their  limbs  pointing  outward,  that  it 
7* 


74 

rendered  the  approach  of  the  troops,  in  a  great 
measure  impossible.  In  this  dreadful  situation,  un 
der  the  fire  of  about  three  thousand  of  the  enemy, 
these  gallant  troops  were  kept,  without  the  least 
prospect  of  success,  until  nearly  two  thousand 
were  killed  or  wounded."  After  a  contest  of  four 
hours,  Abercrombie  ordered  a  retreat;  and  the 
next  day  resumed  his  former  camp,  on  the  south 
side  of  Lake  George. 


(46.)  Capture  of  Quebec. 

The  capture  of  Quebec,  in  1759,  was  the  most 
brilliant  and  important  event  which  took  place  du 
ring  the  French  war — it  gave  the  death  blow  to  the 
French  power  in  America.  The  command  of  the 
important  expedition  against  Quebec,  was  intrust 
ed  to  Gen.  James  Wolfe,  a  young  officer,  who  had 
distinguished  himself  at  the  capture  of  Louisburg* 

The  army,  amounting  to  8,000  men,  landed  in 
June,  on  the  island  of  Orleans,  below  Quebec. 
The  city  of  Quebec  stands  on  a  rock,  at  the  conflu 
ence  of  Charles  and  Iroquois  rivers  ;  it  is  naturally 
a  place  of  great  strength,  and  was  well  fortified  and 
defended  by  a  force  of  1 0,000  men,  under  the  com 
mand  of  General  Montcalm.  Gen.  Wolfe  had  to 
contend  with  immense  difficulties,  and  after  having 
failed  in  several  attempts  to  reduce  the  city,  he  con 
ceived  the  bold  project  of  ascending,  with  his 
troops,  a  steep,  craggy  cliff  of  from  150  to  200 
feet,  by  which  he  would  reach  the  plains  of  Abra 
ham,  south  and  west  of  the  city.  This  almost  in 
credible  enterprize  was  effected  in  the  night,  and  by 
day  light,  (Sept.  13,)  the  army  was  formed,  and 
ready  to  meet  the  enemy.  The  battle  which  took 


75 

place,  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Goodrich,  in  his 
Hist,  of  the  U.  States. 

"  To  Montcalm,  the  intelligence  that  the  English 
Avere  occupying  the  heights  of  Abraham,  was  most 
surprising.  The  impossibility  of  ascending  the  pre 
cipice,  he  considered  certain,  and  therefore  had  ta 
ken  no  measures  to  fortify  its  line.  But  no  sooner 
was  he  informed  of  the  position  of  the  English  ar 
my,  than  he  perceived  a  battle  no  longer  to  be 
avoided,  and  prepared  to  fight.  Between  nine  and 
ten  o'clock,  the  two  armies,  about  equal  in  numbers, 
met  face  to  face. 

"  The  battle  now  commenced.  Inattentive  to 
the  fire  of  a  body  of  Canadians  and  Indians,  1500 
of  whom  Montcalm  had  stationed  in  the  cornfields 
and  bushes,  Wolfe  directed  his  troops  to  reserve 
their  fire  for  the  main  body  of  the  French,  now 
rapidly  advancing.  On  their  approach  within  40 
yards,  the  English  opened  their  fire  and  the  de 
struction  became  immense. 

"  The  French  fought  bravely,  but  their  ranks 
became  disordered,  and,  notwithstanding  the  re 
peated  efforts  of  their  officers  to  form  them,  and  to 
renew  the  attack,  they  were  so  successfully  pushed 
by  the  British  bayonet,  and  hewn  down  by  the  high 
land  broadsword,  that  their  discomfiture  was  com 
plete. 

'•  During  the  action,  Montcalm  was  on  the 
French  left,  and  Wolfe  on  the  English  right,  and 
here  they  both  fell,  in  the  critical  moment  thatdeci- 
ced  the  victory.  Early  in  the  battle,  Wolfe  receiv 
ed  a  ball  in  the  wrist,  but  bino^ng  his  handkerchief 
around  it,  he  continued  to  encourage  his  men. 
Shortly  after,  another  ball  penetrated  his  groin  ; 
but  this  wound,  although  much  more  severe,  he 
concealed,  and  continued  to  urge  on  the  contest, 


76 

till  a  third  bullet  pierced  his  breast.  He  was  now 
obliged,  though  reluctant,  to  be  carried  to  the  rear 
of  the  line. 

"  Gen.  Monckton  succeeded  to  the  command,  but 
was  immediately  wounded  and  conveyed  away.  In 
this  critical  state  of  the  action,  the  command  de 
volved  on  Gen.  Townsend.  Gen.  Montcalm,  fight 
ing  in  front  of  his  battalion,  received  a  mortal 
wound  about  the  same  time,  and  General  Jenne- 
zergus,  his  second  in  command,  fell  near  his  side. 

"  Wolfe  died  in  the  field,  before  the  battle  was 
ended  ;  but  he  lived  long  enough  to  know  that  the 
victory  was  his.  While  leaning  on  the  shoulder  of 
a  Lieutenant,  who  kneeled  to  support  him,  he  was 
seized  with  the  agonies  of  death ;  at  this  moment 
was  heard  the  distant  sound,  "  They  fly — they  fly-" 
The  hero  raised  his  drooping  head,  arid  eagerly 
asked,  "  who  fly."  Being  told  that  it  was  the 
French — "  Then,"  he  replied,  "  I  die  happy,"  and 
expired. 

"  This  death,"  says  Professor  Silliman,  "  has 
furnished  a  grand  and  pathetic  subject  for  the  pain 
ter,  the  poet,  and  the  historian,  and  undoubtedly, 
(considered  as  a  specimen  of  mere  military  glory,J 
it  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  that  the  annals  of  war 
afford." 

"  Montcalm  was  every  way  worthy  of  being  the 
competitor  of  Wolfe.  In  talents — in  military  skill — 
in  personal  courage,  he  was  not  his  inferior.  Nor 
was  his  death  much  less  sublime.  He  lived  to  be 
carried  to  the  city,'  where  his  last  moments  were 
employed  in  writing^  with  his  own  hand,  a  letter  to 
the  English  General,  recommending  the  French 
prisoners  to  his  care  and  humanity.  When  inform 
ed  that  his^  wound  was  mortal,  he  replied,  "  I  shall 
not  then  liVe  to  see  the  surrender  of  Quebec/' 


77 

(47.)  Expeditions  against  the  Spanish   Settlements., 
in  the  West  Indies. 

In  1740,  war  having  been  declared  by  Great 
Britain  against  Spain,  expeditions  were  undertaken 
against  the  Spanish  West  Indies,  Porto  Bello,  Car- 
thagena,  and  Cuba.  Requisitions  were  made  on 
the  Colonies,  to  assist  in  these  enterprises.  Four 
regiments  were  raised  from  the  American  Colonies, 
for  these  expeditions;  and  the  several  Colonies 
were  at  the  charge  of  levy  money,  of  provisions, 
and  of  transports  for  their  several  quotas.  An  ar 
mament  from  Great  Britain,  under  the  command  of 
Lord  Cathcart,  sailed  for  the  West  Indies,  and  for 
med  a  junction  with  Vice  Admiral  Vemon's  fleet,  at 
Jamaica.  Lord  Cathcart  having  died  in  the  West" 
Indies  before  the  complete  junction  of  the  fleets. 
Admiral  Vcrnon  found  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
most  formidable  fleet  and  army  ever  sent  into  those 
seas.  The  whole  fleet  consisted  of  29  ships  of  the 
line,  with  nearly  the  same  number  of  frigates,  be 
sides  fire  ships  and  bomb  ketches.  The  number  of 
seamen  amounted  to  15,000;  the  land  forces,  in 
cluding  the  four  regiments  from  the  Colonies',  were 
not  less  than  12,000.  Vcrrion  having  taken  and' 
plundered  Porto  Bello,  now  proceeded  with  his 
fleet,  and  land  forces,  under  General  Went  worth, 
to  attack  Carthagena.  After  demolishing  the 
strong  forts  and  castles  in  the  harbor,  an  attack 
was  made  by  Wentworth  upon  the  town,  but  he  was 
obliged  to  retire,  with  the  loss  of  4  or  500  men. 
In  July  the  combined  forces  made  an  attempt  on 
the  Island  of  Cuba.  They  possessed  themselves 
of  a  fine  harbor,  but  by  reason  of  an  extraordina 
ry  sickness  and  mortality,  they  were  not  able  to  ef 
fect  any  thing  of  consequence. 


78 

"According  to  the  accounts  given  of  the  sick 
ness,  it  was  nearly  as  mortal  as  the  plague.  More 
than  a  thousand  men  died  in  a  day,  for  several  days. 
Of  nearly  1000  men  from  New  England,  not  1*00 
returned;  of  500  men  from  Massachusetts,  50  only 
returned.1"* 

In  1762,  Admiral  Pocock  with  a  fleet  of  thirty- 
seven  ships  of  war,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
transports,  with  a  land  force  of  about  15,000  men, 
under  the  command  of  Lord  Albemarle,  arrived  be 
fore  Havana,  on  the  5th  June.  On  the  17th,  the 
troops  landed,  and  after  a  siege  of  more  than  two 
months,  in  which  the  beseiging  army  showed  the  most 
invincible  courage,  patience  and  perseverance,  this 
important  place  capitulated  to  his  Britannic  Majesty. 

In  this  siege,  before  the  middle  of  July,  the  army 
in  this  unwholesome  and  burning  region,  was  redu 
ced  to  half  its  original  number.  Many  of  the  sol 
diers  dropped  down  dead,  under  the  pressure  of 
heat,  thirst,  and  fatigue. — A  considerable  number 
of  Colonial  troops  enlisted  under  their  own  oflicers, 
and  served  in  this  arduous  enterprize. 

Of  the  troops  from  New  England,  scarcely  any 
of  the  private  soldiers,  and  but  few  of  the  officers 
ever  returned.  Such  as  were  not  killed  in  the  ser 
vice,  were  generally  swept  away  by  the  great  mor 
tality  which  prevailed  in  the  army  and  navy. 


(48.)    Whitfield,  the  celebrated  Preacher. 

The  Rev.  George  Whitfield,  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England,  first  arrived  in  this  country,  in 
the  year  1738.  He  landed  in  Savannah,  Geo.  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  an  orphan  house,  a  few  miles 

*Dr.  Trumbnll. 


79 

from  Savannah,  and  afterwards  finished  it  at  a  great 
expense.  He  returned  to  England  the  same  year. 
-On  the  following  year  he  returned  back  to  America, 
and  landed  at  Philadelphia  and  began  to  preach  in 
different  churches.  In  this  and  in  his  subsequent 
visits  to  America,  he  visited  most  of  the  principal 
places  in  the  Colonies.  Immense  numbers  of  peo 
ple  flocked  to  hear  him  wherever  he  preached. 

«  The  effects  produced  in  Philadelphia  and  other 
places,  were  truly  astonishing.  Numbers  of  al 
most  all  religious  denominations,  and  many  who 
had  no  connection  with  any  denomination,  were 
brought  to  inquire  with  the  utmost  eagerness,  what, 
they  should  do  to  be  saved.  Such  was  the  eager 
ness  of  the  multitude  in  Philadelphia,  to  listen  to 
spiritual  instruction,  that  there  was  public  worship 
regularly  twice  a  day  fora  year;  and  on  the  Lord's 
day  it  was  celebrated  thrice  or  four  times. 

During  his  visit  to  Philadelphia,  he  preached  fre 
quently  after  night,  from  the  gallery  of  the  court 
house,  in  Market-street.  So  loud  was  his  voice  at 
that  time,  that  it  was  distinctly  heard  on  the  Jersey 
shore,  and  so  distinct  was  his  speech,  that  every 
word  he  said  was  understood  on  board  a  shallop, 
at  Market-street  wharf,  ,a  distance  of  upwards  of 
400  feet  from  the  court-house,.  All  the  intermedi 
ate  space  was  crowded  with  his  hearers."  lie  was 
truly  remarkable  for  his  uncommon  eloquence,  and 
fervent  zeal.  His  eloquence  was  indeed  very  great 
and  of  the  truest  kind.  He  was  utterly  devoid  of 
all  affectation.  The  importance  of  his  subject,  and 
the  regard  due  to  his  hearers,  engrossed  all  his  con 
cern.  Every  accent  of  his  voice  spoke  to  the  ear, 
every  feature  of  his  face,  every  motion  of  his  hands, 
and  every  gesture,  spoke  to  the  eye  ;  so  that  the 
most  dissipated  and  thoughtless  found  their  attention 


so 

arrested,  and  the  dullest  and  most  ignorant  could 
•not  but  understand.  He  appeared  to  be  devoid  of 
•'he  spirit  of  sectarianism  ;  his  only  object  seemed 
to  be  to  "  preach  Christ  and  him  crucified."* 

Mr.  Whitfield  died  in  Newbury-port,  Mass,  on  the 
30th  of  September,  1770,  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of 
iiis  age,  on  his  seventh  visit  to  America — having 
been  in  the  ministry  thirty-four  years. 


v49.)  Col.  Boon's  first  settlement  of  Kentucky* 

The  country  now  called  Kentucky,  was  well 
-known  to  the  Indian  traders,  many  years  before  its 
settlement.  It  however  remained  unexplored  by 
the  Virginians  till  ihe  year  1769,  when  Col.  Daniel 
Boon,  and  a  few  others,  who  conceived  it  to  be  an 
interesting  object,  undertook  a  journey  for  that  pur 
pose.  After  a  long  fatiguing  march  over  a  moun 
tainous  wilderness,  in  a  westerly  direction,  they  at 
length  arrived  upon  its  borders,  and  from  the  top  of 
an  eminence,  with  joy  and  wonder  descried  the 
beautiful  landscape  of  Kentucky,  "  Here,"  says 
.Col.  Boon  "  Nature  was  a  series  of  wonders  and  a 

*The  following  anecdote  respecting-  his  manner  of  preach 
ing,  will  serve  to  illustrate  this  part  of  his  character.  One 
day,  while  preaching-  from  the  balcony  of  the  court-house,  in 
Philadelphia,  he  cried  out,  "  Father  Abraham,  who  have  you 
got  in  heaven  ;  any  Episcopalians  ?"  "  No!"  "  Any  Pres 
byterians?"  "No!"  "  Any  Baptists?"  "No!"  "Have 
you  any  Methodists  there  ?"  u  No  !"  "  Have  you  any  In 
dependents  or  Seccders  ?"  "No!  No!"  "Why,  who  have 
youthen?"  "We  dont  know  those  names  here;  all  that 
are  here  are  Christians — believers  in  Christ — men  who  have 
overcome  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  word  of  his 
testimony  !"  "  O,  is  this  the  case  ?  then  God  help  me.  God 
help  us  all  to  forget  party  names,  and  to  become  Christians 
in  deed  and  in  truth." 


onp  Miffrr  in  Effigy 

M  a  3  g  aeBms  ett  ^ ' 


Destruction   rf  T&i  in  Bwtoii  Harbour 


fund  of  delight.  Here  she  displayed  her  ingenuity 
and  industry  in  a  variety  of  flowers  and  fruits,  beau 
tifully  colored,  elegantly  shaped,  and  charmingly 
flavored  ;  and  we  were  favored  with  numberless  an 
imals,  presenting  themselves  continually  to  our 
view.  The  buffaloes  were  more  numerous  than  cat 
tle  on  other  settlements,  browsing  on  the  leaves  of 
the  cane,  or  crossing  the  herbage  on  these  exten 
sive  plains.  We  saw  hundreds  in  a  drove,  and  the 
numbers  about  the  salt  springs  were  amazing." 

Four  years  after,  in  1773,  Col.  Boon  and  his 
family,  with  five  other  families,  joined  by  forty 
men  from  Powell's  valley,  began  the  settlement  of 
Kentucky. 


(50.)  Stamp  Act. 

The  British  Parliament,  in  the  year  1765,  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  a  revenue  from  the  Colonies, 
passed  the  famous  stamp  act;  which  ordained  that 
-all  instruments  of  writing,  as  contracts,  deeds,  notes, 
&c.  should  not  be  valid,  unless  executed  on  stamped 
paper,  on  which  a  duty  should  be  paid.  This  alar 
med  the  Colonies  and  awakened  their  indignation. 
They  determined  to  resist  the  execution  of  the  law. 
The  1st  Nov.  1765,  was  the  day  on  which  this  act 
was  to  take  effect.  u  In  Boston,  the  bells  tolled, 
the  shops  were  shul,  effigies  of  the  royalists  w.erc 
carried  about  in  derision  and  torn  in  pieces.  At 
Portsmouth,  the  bells  tolled,  a  coffin  was  made, 
on  the  lid  was  inscribed  "Liberty,  aged  145,'*  and 
with  unbraced  drums  and  minute  guns,  a  procession 
followed  it  to  the  grave.  At  the  close  of  an  ora 
tion,  the  coffin  was  taken  up,  signs  of  life  appear 
ed  in  the  corpse,  "  Liberty  revived"  was  substitu- 

8 


82 

ted,  the  bells  struck  a  cheerful  key,  and  joy  sparkr 
led  in  every  countenance." 

In  New  York  the  stamp  act  was  contemptuously 
cried  about  the  streets,  under  the  title  of  "  The  fol 
ly  of  England  and  Ruin  of  America^  The  stamp 
papers  having  arrived,  Gov.  Golden,  took  them 
into  the  fort  in  order  to  secure  them.  Many  of  the 
citizens  of  New  York,  offended  at  the  conduct,  and 
disliking  the  political  sentiments  of  the  Governor,  as 
sembled  in  the  evening,  broke  open  his  stable,  and 
took  out  his  coach  ;  and  after  carrying  it  about  the 
city,  marched  to  the  common,  when  a  gallows  was 
erected,  on  one  end  of  which  they  suspended  his 
effigy,  with  a  stamped  bill  of  lading  in  one  hand, 
and  a  figure  of  the  devil  in  the  other.  After  this, 
the  populace  took  the  effigy  and  the  gallows  entire, 
and  carried  it  in  procession,  the  coach  preceding, 
to  the  gate  of  the  fort,  whence  it  was  removed  to 
the  Bowling  green,  where  the  whole  pageantry,  with 
the  coach,  was  comsumed  in  a  bonfire,  amidst  the 
acclamations  of  thousands  of  spectators. 

Similar  proceedings  occurred  in  many  parts  of 
the  country,  and  the  obnoxious  act  was  shortly  after 
repealed. 


(51.)  Massacre  in  Boston. 

The  inhabitants  of  Boston  had  suffered  almost 
every  species  of  insult  from  the  British  soldiery  ; 
who,  countenanced  by  the  royal  party,  had  gene 
rally  found  means  to  screen  themselves  from  the 
hands  of  the  civil  officers.  Thus  all  authority  rested 
on  the  point  of  the  sword,  and  the  partizans  of  the 
crown  triumphed  for  a  time  in  the  plenitude  of  mil 
itary  power,  Yet  the  measure  and  the  manner  of 


83 

posting  troops  in  the  capital  of  the  province,  had 
roused  such  jealousy  and  disgust,  as  could  not  be 
subdued  by  the  scourge  that  hung  over  their  heads. 
Continual  bickerings  took  place  in  the  streets  be 
tween  the  soldiers  and  the  citizens  ;  the  insolence  of 
the  first,  which  had  been  carried'so  far'as  to  excite  the 
African  slaves  to  murder  their  masters,  with  the  pro 
mise  of  impunity,  and  the  indiscretion  of  the 
last,  was  often  productive  of  tumults  and  disorder 
that  led  the  most  cool  and  temperate  to  be  appre 
hensive  of  consequences  of  the  most  serious  na 
ture. 

On  the  second  of  March,  1770,  a  fray  took 
place  in  Boston,  near  Mr.  Gray's  rope  walk,  be-, 
tween  a  private  soldier  of  the  29th  regiment,  and 
an  inhabitant.  The  former  was  supported  by  his 
comrades,  the  latter  by  the  rope-makers,  till  seve 
ral,  on  both  sides,  were  involved  in  the  consequen 
ces.  On  the  fifth  a  more  dreadful  scene  was  pre 
sented.  The  soldiers,  when  under  arms,  were 
pressed  upon,  insulted  and  pelted,  by  a  mob  armed 
with  clubs,  sticks,  and  snow  balls  covering  stones. 
They  were  also  dared  to  fire.  In  this  situation,  one 
of  the  soldiers,  who  had  received  a  blow,  in  re 
sentment  fired  at  the  supposed  aggressor.  This 
was  followed  by  a  single  discharge  from  six  others. 
Three  of  the  inhabitants  were  killed  and  five  dan 
gerously  wounded.  The  town  was  immediately  in 
commotion.  Such  was  the  temper,  force  and  num 
ber  of  the  inhabitants,  that  nothing  but  an  engage 
ment  to  remove  the  troops  out  of  the  town,  togeth 
er  with  the  advice  of  moderate  men,  prevented  the 
townsmen  from  falling  on  the  soldiers.  The  killed 
were  buried  in  one  vault,  and  in  a  most  respectful 
manner,  in  order  to  express  the  indignation  of  the 
inhabitants  at  the  slaughter  of  their  brethren,  bv 


£4 

soldiers  quartered  among  them,  in  violation  of  their 
civil  liberties.  Captain  Preston,  who  commanded 
the  party  which  fired  on  the  inhabitants,  was  com 
mitted  to  jail,  and  afterwards  tried.  The  Captain 
and  six  of  the  men,  were  acquitted.  Two  were 
brought  in  guilty  of  man-slaughter.  It  appeared  on 
the  trial,  that  the  soldiers  were  abused,  insulted, 
threatened,  and  pelted,  before  they  fired.  It  was 
also  proved,  that  only  seven  guns  were  fired  by  the 
eight  prisoners.  These  circumstances  induced  the 
jury  to  make  a  favorable  verdict.  The  result  of  the 
trial  reflected  great  honor  on  John  Adams,  (the  late 
President  of  the  United  States,)  and  Josiah  Quincy, 
Esqrs.  the  counsel  for  the  prisoners  ;  and  also  on 
the  integrity  of  the  jury,  who  ventured  to  give  an 
upright  verdict,  in  defiance  of  popular  opinions. 

"  The  people,  not  dismayed  by  the  blood  of  their 
neighbors  thus  wantonly  shed,  determined  no  long 
er  to  submit  to  the  insolence  of  military  power.  Col. 
Dalrymple,  who  commanded  in  Boston,  was  in 
formed,  the  day  after  the  riot  in  King-Street,  "  that 
he  must  withdraw  his  troops  from  the  town  within  a 
a  limited  term,  or  hazard  the  consequences. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  town  assembled  at  Faneuif 
Hall,  where  the  subject  was  discussed  with  be 
coming  spirit,  and  the  people  unanimously  resolved, 
that  no  armed  force  should  be  suffered  longer  to  re 
side  in  the  capital ;  and  if  the  King's  troops  were 
not  immediately  withdrawn  by  their  own  officers, 
the  Governor  should  be  requested  to  give  orders  for 
their  removal,  and  thereby  prevent  the  necessity  of 
more  rigorous  steps.  A  committee  from  this  body 
was  deputed  to  wait  on  the  Governor,  and  request 
him  to  exert  that  authority  which  the  exigencies  of 
the  times  required  from  the  supreme  magistrate. 
Mr.  Samuel  Adams,  the  chairman  of  the  committee. 


85 

with  a  pathos  and  address  peculiar  to  himself,  expo* 
sed  the  illegality  of  quartering  troops  in  the  town  in 
the  midst  of  peace  ;  he  urged  the  apprehensions  of 
the  people,  and  the  fatal  consequences  that  might  en 
sue  if  their  removal  was  delayed. 

But  no  arguments  could  prevail  on  Mr.  Hutchin- 
son  ;  who  from  timidity,  or  some  more  censurable 
cause,  evaded  acting  at  all  in  the  business,  and 
grounded  his  refusal  on  a  pretended  want  of  autho 
rity.  After  which  Col.  Dalrymple,  wishing  to  com 
promise  the  matter,  consented  that  the  twenty-ninth 
regiment,  more  culpable  than  any  other  in  the  late 
tumult,  should  be  sent  to  Castle  Island.  This  con 
cession  was  by  no  means  satisfactory  ;  the  people, 
inflexible  in  their  demands,  insisted  that  no  British 
soldier  should  be  left  within  the  town  ;  their  requisi 
tion  was  reluctantly  complied  with,  and  within  four 
days  the  whole  army  decamped."* 

Morses  Revolution* 


(52.)  Destruction  of  Tea  in  Boston. 

The  British  ministry  still  persisting  in  their  right 
to  tax  the  Colonies,  had  for  this  purpose  given  per- 

*The  circumstances  and  probable  consequences  of  the  tra 
gical  affair  just  related,  sunk  deep  into  the  minds  of  the  peo 
ple,  and  were  turned  to  the  advantage  of  their  cause.  Its 
anniversary,  for  many  years  was  observed  with  great  solem 
nity,  and  the  most  eloquent  orators  were  successively  employ 
ed  to  deliver  an  annnal  oration  to  preserve  the  remembrance 
of  it  fresh  in  their  minds.  On  these  occasions,  the  blessing! 
of  liberty — the  horrors  of  slavery — the  dangers  of  a  standing- 
army — the  rights  of  the  Colonies,  and  a  variety  of  such  to 
pics,  were  represented  to  the  public  view,  under  their  most 
pleasing  and  alarming  forms.  These  annual  orations  ad 
ministered  fuel  to  the  fire  of  Liberty,  and  kept  it  burning 
with  an  incessaot  flame,— /&. 

a* 


86 

mission  to  the  East  India  Company  to  ship  a  large 
quantity  of  Teas  to  America,  charged  with  duty. 
The  Americans  fixed  in  their  opposition  to  the  prin 
ciple  of  taxation  in  any  shape,  opposed  the  landing 
of  the  tea.  In  New  York,  and  in  Philadelphia,  the 
cargoes  sent  out  were  returned  without  being  en 
tered  at  the  Custom  Houses.  In  Boston,  the  tea 
being  consigned  to  the  royal  Governor,  (Hutchin- 
son,).;the  populace,  "  clad  like  the  aborigines  of  the 
wilderness,  with  tomahawks  in  their  hands  and 
clubs  on  their  shoulders,  without  the  least 
molestation,  marched  through  the  streets  with 
silent  solemnity,  amidst  innumerable  spectators,  and 
proceeded  to  the  wharves,  boarded  the  ships,  de 
manded  the  keys,  and  without  much  deliberation 
knocked  open  the  chests,  and  emptied  several 
thousand  weight  of  the  finest  teas  into  the  ocean. 
No  opposition  was  made,  though  surrounded  by  the 
king's  ships  ;  all  was  silence  and  dismay. — This 
done,  the  procession  returned  through  the  town  in 
the  same  order  and  solemnity,  as  observed  in  the 
outset  of  their  attempt.  No  other  disorder  took 
place,  and  it  was  observed,  the  stillest  night  ensu 
ed  that  Boston  had  enjoyed  for  several  months." 
Intelligence  of  this  transaction  reached  the  British 
ministry,  and  in  1774,  they  passed  an  act  to  restrain 
ali  intercourse  by  water,  with  the  town  of  Boston,, 
by  closing  the  port.  They  also  removed  the  gov 
ernment  and  public  ofSces  to  Salem. 


(53.)  First  Continental  Congress. 

The  first  General  Congress  met  at  Philadelphia 
in  the  beginning  of  September,  1774.    It  consisted 


87 

©f  fifty  one  delegates  from  twelve  Colonies.  They 
chose  Peyton  Randolph,  President,  and  Charles 
Thompson,  Secretary.  The  Delegates  were  ap 
pointed  by  the  colonial  legislatures,  or  where  none 
existed,  the  appointments  were  made  by  select 
meetings  and  associations  of  citizens.  "  The  nov 
elty  and  importance  of  the  meeting  of  this  Con 
gress  excited  universal  attention,  and  their  trans 
actions  were  such  as  could  not  but  tend  to  render 
them  respectable. 

The  first  act  of  Congress  was  an  approbation  of 
the  conduct  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  an  exhorta 
tion  to  continue  in  the  same  spirit  which  they  had 
begun.  Supplies  for  the  suffering  inhabitants 
(whom  the  operation  of  the  port-bill  had  reduced 
to  great  distress)  were  strongly  recommended  ;  and 
it  was  declared  that  in  case  of  attempts  to  enforce 
the  obnoxious  acts  by  arms,  all  America  should  join 
to  assist  the  town  of  Boston  ;  and,  should  the  in 
habitants  be  obliged,  during  the  course  of  hostili 
ties,  to  remove  farther  up  the  country,  the  losses 
they  might  sustain  should  be  repaired  at  the  public 
expense. 

Congress  next  addressed  a  letter  to  General 
Gage;  in  which  having  stated  the  grievances  of 
the  people  of  Massachusetts,  they  informed  him  of 
the  fixed  and  unalterable  determination  of  all  the 
other  provinces,  to  support  their  brethren,  and  to 
oppose  the  British  acts  of  parliament ;  that  they 
themselves  were  appointed  to  watch  over  the  lib 
erties  of  America;  and  entreated  him  to  desist  from 
military  operations,  lest  such  hostilities  might  be 
brought  on  as  would  frustrate  all  hopes  of  recon 
ciliation  with  the  parent  state. 

Their  next  step  was  to  publish  a  declaration  of 
rights.  These  they  summed  up  in  the  rights  belong- 


8*3 

ing  to  Englishmen  ;  and  particularly  insisted,  that 
as  their  distance  rendered  it  impossible  for  them  to 
be  represented  in  the  British  parliament,  their  pro 
vincial  assemblies,  with  a  Governor  appointed  by 
the  King,  constituted  the  only  legislative  power 
within  each  province.  They  would,  however,  con 
sent  to  such  acts  of  parliament  as  were  evidently 
calculated  merely  for  the  regulation-  of  commerce, 
and  for  securing  to  the  parent  state  the  benefits  of 
the  American  trade  ;  but  would  never  allow  that 
they  could  impose  any  tax  on  the  Colonies,  for  the 
purpose  of  revenue,  without  their  consent. 

They  proceeded  to  reprobate  the  intention  of 
each  of  the  new  acts  of  parliament,  and  insisted  on 
all  the  rights  they  had  enumerated  as  being  unalien- 
able,  and  what  no  power  could  deprive  them  of, 
The  Canada  act  they  pointed  out  as  being  extreme 
ly  inimical  to  the  Colonies,  by  whose  assistance  it 
had  been  conquered  ;  and  they  termed  it,  "An  act 
for  establishing  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  Can 
ada,  abolishing,  the  equitable  system  of  English  laws, 
and  establishing  a  tyranny  there." 

They  further  declared  in  favor  of  a  non-importa 
tion  and  non-consumption  of  British  goods,  until 
the  acts  were  repealed  by  which  duties  were  impo 
sed  upon  tea,  coffee,  wine,  sugar  and  molasses,  im 
ported  into  America,  as  well  as  the  Boston  port  act 
and  the  three  others  passed  at  the  preceding  ses 
sion  of  parliament. 

The  new  regulations  against  the  importation  and 
consumption  of  British  commodities  were  then 
drawn  up  with  great  solemnity  ;  and  they  conclu 
ded  with  returning  the  warmest  thanks  to  those 
members  of  parliament  who  had  with  so  much  zeal,, 
though  without  any  success,  opposed  the  obnoxious 
acts  of  parliament* 


89" 

The  next  proceedings  of  Congress  were  to  ffam£' 
a  petition  to  the  King,  an  address  to  the  British  na 
tion,  and  another  to  the  Colonies  ;  all  of  which 
were  in  the  usual  strain  of  American  language  at 
that  time,  and  drawn  up  in  such  a  masterly  manner 
as  ought  to  have  impressed  the  people  of  England 
with  a  more  favorable  opinion  of  the  Americans, 
than  they  could  at  that  time  be  induced  to  en 
tertain."* 

After  a  session  of  eight  weeks,  Congress  dissolved 
themselves,  after  recommending  another  Congress 
to  be  convened  on  the  10th  of  May  ensuing,  unless 
their  grievances  should  be  previously  obtained. 
Although  the  power  of  this  Congress  was  merely 
advisory,  their  resolutions  received  the  general  sanc 
tion  of  the  provincial  Congresses,  and  of  the  Colo 
nial  assemblies;  "and  their  recommendations  were 
more  generally  and  more  effectually  carried  into 
execution  than  the  laws  of  the  best  regulated  state,- 


(54.)  Battle  of  Lexington. 

Determined  to  reduce  the  rebellious  Colonies  u> 
submission,  the  British  ministry  transported  a  force 
of  10,000  men,  who  were  stationed  at  Boston. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  April,  1775,  Gen, 
Gage,  the  King's  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  de 
tached  a  body  of  800  men,  with  orders  to  march  to 
Concord,  and  destroy  the  military  stores  collected 
by  the  Americans  at  that  place.  Their  movements 
were  discovered,  and  the  country  was  alarmed.  Ear 
ly  in  the  morning,  about  170  of  the  Lexington  militia 
had  assembled  on  the  green.  Major  Pitcairn,  who 
commanded  the  detachment  of  British  troops,  rode 

*  Williams'  History  of  the  Re\elutiom 


90 

up  to  the  militia,  and  addressing  them  as  rebels  or 
dered  them  disperse.  Not  being  obeyed,  Pitcairn 
discharged  his  pistol,  and  ordered  his  men  to  fire. 
Eight  of  the  Americans  were  killed  and  several 
wounded.  The  British  proceeded  to  Concord, 
destroyed  the  stores  and  returned  to  Boston, 
closely  followed  by  the  exasperated  Americans, 
who  from  behind  fences  and  walls,  fired  upon  their 
rear.  Had  not  the  British  had  a  reinforcement  at 
Lexington,  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  of  them  had 
reached  Boston. 

Thus  began  the  contest  which  dismembered  the 
British  empire,  and  ended  in  the  establishment  of 
independence  in  our  own  country. 


(55.)   Taking  of  Ticondcroga,  by  Col.  Allen* 

The  seizure  of  the  important  fortress  of  Ticon- 
deroga  by  Col.  Ethan  Allen,  on  the  10th  of  May, 
1775,  is  thus  related  by  himself. — "The  first  sys 
tematical  and  bloody  attempt  at  Lexington,  to  en 
slave  America,  thoroughly  electrified  my  mind,  and 
fully  determined  me  to  take  a  part  with  my  country. 
And  while  I  was  wishing  for  an  opportunity  to  sig 
nalize  myself  in  its  behalf,  directions  were  private 
ly  sent  to  me  from  the  then  Colony,  now  State  of 
Connecticut,  to  raise  the  Green  Mountain  Boy;1.,  and 
if  possible,  with  them  to  surprise  and  take  the  for 
tress  of  Ticonderoga.  This  enterprise  1  cheerfully 
undertook ;  and  after  first  guarding  all  the  several 
passes  that  led  thither,  to  cut  oft'  all  intelligence 
between  the  garrison  and  the  country,  made  a  for 
ced  march  from  Be.inington,  and  arrived  at  the  lake 
opposite  Ticonderoga,  on  the  evening  of  the  ninth 

'- 


91 

day  of  May,  1775,  with  two  hundred  and  thirty 
valiant  Green  Mountain  Boys ;  and  it  was  with  the 
utmost  difficulty  that  I  procured  boats  to  cross  the 
lake.  However;  I  landed  eighty  three  men  near  the 
garrison,  and  sent  the  boats  back  for  the  rear  guard 
commanded  by  Col.  Seth  Warner  ;  but  the  day  be 
gan  to  dawn,  and  I  found  myself  necessitated  to  at 
tack  the  fort  before  the  rear  could  cross  the  lake  ; 
and  as  it  was  hazardous,  1  harangued  the  officers 
and  soldiers  in  the  manner  following ;  "  Friends 
and  fellow  soldiers, — You  have  for  a  number  of 
years  past  been  a  scourge  and  terror  to  arbitrary 
powers.  Your  valor  has  been  famed  abroad,  and 
acknowledged,  as  appears  by  the  advice  and  orders 
to  me  from  tnfc  general  assembly  of  Connecticut,  to 
surprise  and  take  the  garrison  now  before  us.  I 
now  propose  to  advance  before  you,  and  in  person 
conduct  you  through  the  wicket  gate ;  for  we 
must  this  morning  either  quit  our  pretensions  to 
valor,  or  possess  ourselves  of  this  fortress  in  a  few 
minutes  ;  and  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  desperate  attempt, 
which  none  but  the  bravest  of  men  dare  undertake, 
I  do  not  urge  it  on  any  contrary  to  his  will.  You 
that  will  undertake  voluntarily,  poise  your  firelock." 
The  men  being  at  this  lime  drawn  up  in  three  ranks, 
each  poised  his  firelock.  1  ordered  them  to  face  to 
the  right ;  and  at  the  head  of  the  centre  file,  march 
ed  them  immediately  to  the  wicket  gate  aforesaid, 
where  I  found  a  sentry  posted,  who  instantly  snap- 

Eed  his  fusee  at  me:  I  ran  immediately  towards 
im,  and  he  retreated  through  the  covered  way  into 
the  parade  within  the  garrison,  gave  a  halloo,  and 
ran  under  bomb  proof.  My  party,  who  follow 
ed  me  into  the  fort,  I  formed  on  the  parade  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  face  the  barracks  which  faced  each 
other.  The  garrison  being  asleep,  except  the  sen- 


-tries,  we  gave  three  huzzas,  which  greatly  surprised 
them.  One  of  the  sentries  made  a  pass  at  one  of 
my  officers  with  a  charged  bayonet,  and  slightly 
wounded  him.  My  first  thought  was  to  kill  him 
with  my  sword,  but  in  an  instant  I  altered  the  design 
and  fury  of  the  blow,  to  a  slight  cut  on  the  side  of 
the  head  ;  upon  which  he  dropped  his  gun,  and 
asked  quarters,  which  I  readily  granted  him;  and 
demanded  the  pUce  where  the  commanding  officer 
kept.  He  shewed  me  a  pair  of  stairs  in  the  front, 
which  led  up  to  a  second  story  in  said  barracks, 
io  which  I  immediately  repaired,  and  ordered  the 
commander,  Capt.  Delaplace,  to  come  forth  instant 
ly,  or  I  would  sacrifice  the  whole  garrison  :  at 
which  time  the  captain  came  immediately  to  the 
door  with  his  breeches  in  his  hand,  when  I  ordered 
him  to  deliver  to  me  the  fort  instantly  ;  lie  asked  me 
by  what  authority  I  demanded  it.  I  answered  him, 
,*'  In  the  name  of  the  great  Jehovah,  and  the  Con,- 
iinental  Congress.^  The  authority  of  Congress  be 
ing  very  little  known  at  that  time,  he  began  to 
speak  again,  but  I  interrupted  him,  and  with  my 
drawn  sword  near  my  head  again  demanded  an  im 
mediate  surrender  of  the  garrison  ;  with  which  he 
then  complied,  and  ordered  his  men  to  be  forthwith 
paraded  without  arms,  as  he  had  given  up  the  garri 
son.  In  the  mean  time  some  of  my  officers  had  giv 
en  orders,  and  in  consequence  thereof,  sundry  of 
the  barrack  doors  were  beat  down,  and  about  one 
third  of  the  garrison  imprisoned,  which  consisted  of 
said  commander,  a  lieutenant  Feltham,  a  conductor 
of  artillery,  a  gunner,  two  sergeants,  and  forty  four 
rank  and  file;  about  one  hundred  peices  of  cannon, 
.one  thirteen  inch  mortar,  and  a  number  of  swivels. 
This  surprise  was  carried  into  execution  in  the  grey 
.of  the  morning  of  the  tenth  of  May,  1775.  The 


"Wajfunqttm  <tf 


93 

sun  seemed  to  rise  that  morning  with  a  superior  lus 
tre  :  and  Ticonderoga  and  its  dependencies  smiled  on 
its  conquerors,  who  tossed  about  the  flowing  bowl,  and 
wished  success  to  Congress,  and  the  liberty  and 
freedom  of  America.  Happy  it  was  for  me  at  that 
time,  that  the  future  pages  of  the  book  of  fate, 
which  afterwards  unfolded  a  miserable  scene  of  two 
years  and  eight  months  imprisonment,  were  hid  from 
my  view." 


(56.)  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

The  following,  "full  and  correct  account"  of  the 
Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  is  taken  from  a  pamphlet 
published  in  Boston,  June  17,  1825. 

After  the  affair  at  Lexington  and  Concord,  on  the 
19th  of  April,  1775,  the  people,  animated  by  one 
common  impulse,  flew  to  arms  in  every  direction. 
The  husbandman  changed  his  plowshare  for  a  mus 
ket,  and  about  15,000  men,  10,000  from  Massachu 
setts,  and  the  remainder  from  New  Hampshire, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut,  assembled  under 
Gen.  Ward,  in  the  environs  of  Boston,  then  occu 
pied  by  10,000  highly  disciplined,  and  well  equip 
ped  British  troops,  under  the  command  of  Gen 
erals  Gage,  Howe,  Clinton,  Burgoyne,  Pigot,  and 
others. 

Fearing  an  intention  on  the  part  of  the  British  to 
occupy  the  important  heights  at  Charlestown  and 
Dorchester,  which  would  enable  them  to  command 
the  surrounding  country,  Col.  Prescott  was  detach 
ed  by  his  own  desire,  from  the  American  camp  $t 
Cambridge,  on  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  June, 
1775,  with  about  1000  militia,  mostly  of  Massachu 
setts,  including  120  men  of  Putnam's  regiment  from 

9 


94 

Connecticut,  and  one  Artillery  company,  to  Bunk 
er  Hill,  with  a  view  to  occupy  and  fortify  that  post. 
At  this  Hill  the  detachment  made  a  short  halt,  but 
concluded  to  advance  still  nearer  the  British,  and 
accordingly  took  possession  of  Breed's  Hill,  'a  po 
sition  which  commanded  the  whole  inner  harbor  of 
Boston.  Here,  about  midnight,  they  commenced 
throwing  up  a  redoubt,  which  they  completed,  not 
withstanding  every  possible  effort  from  the  British 
ships  and  batteries  to  prevent  them,  about  noon  the 
next  day. 

So  silent  had  the  operations  been  conducted 
through  the  night,  that  the  British  had  not  the 
most  distant  notice  of  the  design  of  the  Americans, 
until  day-break  presented  to  their  view,  the  half  for- 
formed  battery  and  daring  stand  made  against  them. 
A  dreadful  cannonade,  accompanied  with  shells, 
was  immediately  commenced  from  the  British  batte 
ry  at  Copps'  Hill,  and  the  ships  of  war  and  floating 
batteries  stationed  in  Charles  River. 

The  break  of  day  on  the  1 7th  of  June,  1 775,  pre 
sented  a  scene,  which  for  daring  and  firmness  could 
never  be  surpassed-^1000  unexperienced  militia,  in 
the  attire  of  their  various  avocations,  without  disci 
pline,  almost  without  artillery  and  bayonets,  scanti- 
Jy  supplied  with  ammunition,  and  wholly  destitute 
of  provisions,  defying  the  power  of  the  formidable 
British  fleet  and  army,  determined  to  maintain  the 
Jiberty  of  their  soil,  or  moisten  that  soil  with  their 
blood. 

Without  aid,  however,  from  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  it  seemed  impossible  to  maintain  their  posi 
tion — the  men  having  been  without  sleep,  toiling 
through  the  night,  and  destitute  of  the  necessary 
food  required  by  nature,  had  become  nearly  ex 
hausted.  Representations  were  repeatedly  made,. 


95 

through  the  morning,  to  Head  Quarters,  of  the  ne 
cessity  of  reinforcements  and  supplies.  Major 
Brooks,  the  late  revered  Governor  of  Massachu 
setts,  who  commanded  a  battalion  of  minute-men 
at  Concord,  set  out  for  Cambridge  about  9  o'clock, 
on  foot,  it  being  impossible  to  procure  a  horse,  so 
liciting  succor;  but  as  there  were  two  other  points 
exposed  to  the  British,  Roxbury  and  Cambridge, 
then  the  Head  Quarters,  at  which  place  all  the  lit 
tle  stores  of  the  army  were  collected,  and  the  loss 
of  which  would  be  incalculable  at  that  moment, 
great  fears  were  entertained  lest  they  should  march 
over  the  neck  to  Roxbury,  and  attack  the  camp 
there,  or  pass  over  the  bay  in  boats,  there  being  at 
that  time  no  artificial  avenue  to  connect  Boston 
with  the  adjacent  country,  attack  the  Head  Quarters 
and  destroy  the  stores  ;  it  was  therefore  deemed  im 
possible  to  afford  any  reinforcement  to  Charlestown 
Heights,  till  the  movements  of  the  British  rendered 
evidence  of  their  intention  certain. 

The  fire  from  the  Glasgow  frigate  and  two  float 
ing  batteries  in  Charles  River,  were  wholly  direct 
ed — with  a  view  to  prevent  any  communication — 
across  the  isthmus  that  connects  Charlestown  with 
the  main  land,  which  kept  up  a  continued  shower  of 
missiles,  and  rendered  the  communication  truly  dan 
gerous  to  those  who  should  attempt  it.  When  the 
intention  of  the  British  to  attack  the  heights  of 
Charlestown  became  apparent,  the  remainder  of 
Putnam's  regiment,  Col.  Gardner's  regiment, 
bo',h  of  which,  as  to  numbers,  were  very  imperfect, 
and  some  New  Hampsmre  Militia,  marcued,  not 
withstanding  the  heavy  fire  across  the  neck,  for 
Charlestown  Heights,  where  they  arrived  much  fa 
tigued,  just  after  the  British  had  moved  to  the  first 
attack. 


96 

The  British  commenced  crossing  troops  from 
Boston  about  12  o'clock,  and  landed  at  Moreton's 
Point,  S.  E.  from  Breed's  Hill.  At  2  o'clock,  from 
the  best  accounts  that  can  be  obtained,  they  had 
landed  between  3  and  4,000,  men  under  the  immedi 
ate  command  of  Gen.  Howe,  and  formed,  in  appa 
rently  invincible  order,  at  the  base  of  the  hill. 

The  position  of  the  Americans  at  this  time  was  a 
redoubt  on  the  summit  of  the  height  of  about  eight 
rods  square,  and  a  breastwork,  extending  on  the 
left  of  it,  about  seventy  feet  down  the  eastern  de 
clivity  of  the  hill.  This  redoubt  and  breastwork 
was  commanded  by  Prescott  in  person,  who  had 
superintended  its  construction,  and  who  occupied  it 
with  the  Massachusetts  Militia,  of  his  detachment, 
and  a  part  of  Little's  regiment,  which  had  arrived 
about  one  o'clock.  They  were  dreadfully  defi 
cient  in  equipments  and  ammunition,  had  been  toil 
ing  incessantly  for  many  hours,  and  it  is  said  by 
some  accounts,  even  then  were  destitute  of  provis 
ions. — A  little  to  the  eastward  of  the  redoubt,  and 
northerly  to  the  rear  of  it,  was  a  rail  fence,  extend 
ing  almost  to  Mystick  river, — to  this  fence  another 
had  been  added  during  the  night  and  forenoon,  and 
some  newly  mown  grass  thrown  against  them,  to  af 
ford  something  like  a  cover  to  the  troops. — At  this 
fence  the  120  Connecticut  Militia  were  posted. 

The  movements  of  the  British  made  it  evident 
their  intention  was  to  march  a  strong  column  along 
the  margin  of  the  Mystick,  and  turn  the  redoubt  on 
the  nortn,  while  another  column  attacked  it  in  front; 
accordingly,  to  prevent  this  design,  a  large  force  be 
came  necessary  at  the  breastwork  and  rail  fence. 
The  whole  of  the  reinforcements  that  arrived, 
amounting  in  all  to  about  800  or  1000  men,  were 
ordered  by  Gen,  Putnam,  who  had  been  extremely 


97  ' 

active  throughout  the  night  and  morning,  and  who 
had  accompanied  the  expedition  to  this  point. 

At  this  moment  thousands  of  persons  of  both  sex 
es  had  collected  on  the  Church  steeples,  Beacon 
Hill,  house  tops,  and  every  place  in  Boston  and  its 
neighborhood,  where  a  view  of  the  battle  ground 
could  be  obtained,  viewing  with  painful  anxiety,  the 
movements  of  the  combatants — wondering,  yet  ad 
miring  the  bold  stand  of  the  Americans,  and  trem 
bling  at  the  thoughts  of  the  formidable  army  mar 
shalled  in  array  against  them. 

Before  3  o'clock  the  British  formed,  in  two  col 
umns,  for  the  attack — one  column,  as  had  been  an 
ticipated,  moved  along  the  Mystick  River,  with  the 
intention  of  taking  the  redoubt  in  the  rear,  while 
the  other  advanced  up  the  ascent  directly  in  front 
of  the  redoubt,  where  Prescott  was  ready  to  re 
ceive  them.  Gen.  Warren,  President  of  the  Pro 
vincial  Congress  and  of  the  Committee  of  Safety, 
who  had  been  appointed  but  a  few  days  before  a 
Major  General  of  the  Massachusetts  troops,  had  vol 
unteered  on  the  occasion  as  a  private  soldier,  and 
was  in  the  redoubt  with  a  musket,  animating  the  men, 
by  his  influence  and  example,  to  the  most  daring  de 
termination. 

Orders  were  given  to  the  Americans  to  reserve 
their  fire  till  the  enemy  advanced  sufficiently  near 
to  make  their  aim  certain.  Several  vollies  were 
fired  by  the  British  with  but  little  success ;  and  so 
long  a  time  had  elapsed,  and  the  British  were  allow 
ed  to  advance  so  near  the  Americans  without  their 
fire  being  returned,  that  a  doubt  arose  whether  or 
not  the  latter  intended  to  give  battle — but  the  fatal 
moment  soon  arrived : — when  the  British  had  ad 
vanced  to  within  about  eight  rods,  a  sheet  of  fire 
was  poured  upon  them  and  continued  a  short  time 


98 

with  such  deadly  effect  that  hundreds  of  the  assail 
ants  lay  weltering  in  their  blood,  and  the  remainder 
retreated  in  dismay  to  the  point  where  they  had  first 
landed. 

From  day  light  to  the  time  of  the  British  advan 
cing  on  the  works,  an  incessant  fire  had  been  kept 
up  on  the  Americans  from  the  ships  and  batteries — 
this  fire  was  now  renewed  with  increased  vigor. 

After  a  short  time  the  British  officers  had  succeed 
ed  in  rallying  their  men,  and  again  advanced  in  the 
same  order  as  before,  to  the  attack.  Thinking  to 
divert  the  attention  of  the  Americans,  the  town  of 
Charlestown,  consisting  of  500  wooden  buildings, 
was  now  set  oa  fire  by  the  British — the  roar  of  the 
flames,  the  crashing  of  falling  timbers,  the  awful 
appearance  of  desolation  presented,  the  dreadful 
shrieks  of  the  dying  and  the  wounded  in  the  last  at 
tack,  added  to  the  knowledge  of  the  formidable 
force  advancing  against  them,  combined  to  form  a 
scene  apparently  too  much  for  men  bred  in  the  qui 
et  retirement  of  domestic  life  to  sustain — but  the 
stillness  of  death  reigned  within  the  American  works 
— and  nought  could  be  seen  but  the  deadly  presen 
ted  weapon,  ready  to  hurl  fresh  destruction  on  the 
assailants.  The  fire  of  the  Americans  was  again 
reserved  till  the  British  came  still  nearer  than  be 
fore,  when  the  same  unerring  aim  was  taken,  and 
the  British  shrunk,  terrified,  from  before  its  fatal  ef 
fects,  flying,  completely  routed,  a  second  time  to  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  leaving,  as  before,  the  field 
strewed  with  their  wounded  and  their  dead. 

Again  the  ships  and  batteries  renewed  their  fire, 
and  kept  a  continual  shower  of  balls  on  the  works. 
Notwithstanding  every  exertion,  the  British  officers 
found  it  impossible  to  rally  the  men  for  a  third  at 
tack;  one  third  of  their  comrades  had  fallen  j  ajic} 


finally  it  was  not  till  a  reinforcement  of  more  than 
1000  fresh  troops,  with  a  strong  park  of  artillery, 
had  joined  them  from  Boston,  that  they  could  be  in 
duced  to  form  anew. 

In  the  mean  time  every  effort  was  made  on  the 
part  of  the  Americans  to  resist  a  third  attack  ;  Gen. 
Putnam  rode,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  fire  of  the 
ships  and  batteries,  several  times  across  the  neck,  lo 
induce  the  militia  to  advance,  but  it  was  only  a  few 
of  the  resolute  arid  brave  who  would  encounter  the 
storm.  The  British  receiving  reinforcements  from 
their  formidable  main  body — the  town  of  Charles- 
town  presenting  one  wide  scene  of  destruction — 
the  probability  the  Americans  must  shortly  retreat — 
the  shower  of  balls  pouring  over  the  neck — pre 
sented  obstacles  too  appalling  for  raw  troops  to  sus 
tain,  arid  embodied  too  much  danger  to  allow 
them  to  encounter. — Yet,  notwithstanding  all  this, 
the  Americans  on  the  heights  were  elated  with 
their  success,  and  waited  with  coolness  and  de 
termination  the  now  formidable  advance  of  the 
enemy. 

Once  more  the  British,  aided  by  their  reinforce 
ments,  advanced  to  the  attack,  but  with  great  skill 
and  caution — their  artillery  was  planted  on  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  hill,  between  the  rail  fence 
and  the  breast  work,  where  it  was  directed  along 
the  line  of  the  Americans,  stationed  at  the  latter 
place,  and  against  the  gate  way  on  the  north  east 
ern  corner  of  the  redoubt — at  the  same  time  they 
attacked  the  redoubt  on  the  south  eastern  and 
south  western  sides,  and  entered  it  with  fixed  bay 
onets.  The  slaughter  on  their  advancing,  was 
great ;  but  the  Americans,  not  having  bayonets  to 
meet  them  on  equal  terms,  and  their  powder  being 
Exhausted,  now  slowly  retreated,  opposing^and  ex- 


100 

tricating  themselves  from  the  British  with  the  butts 
of  their  pieces. 

The  column  that  advanced  against  the  rail  fence 
was  received  in  the  most  dauntless  manner.  The 
Americans  fought  with  spirit  and  heroism  that  could 
not  be  surpassed,  and  had  their  ammunition  have 
held  out,  would  have  secured  to  themselves  a  third 
time  the  palm  of  victory  ;  as  it  was,  they  effectually 
prevented  the  enemy  from  accomplishing  his  purpose, 
which  was  to  turn  their  flank  and  cut  the  whole  of 
the  Americans  off;  but  having  become  perfectly  ex 
hausted,  this  body  of  the  Americans  also  slowly  re^ 
tired,  retreating  in  much  better  order  than  could  pos 
sibly  have  been  expected  from  undisciplined  troops, 
and  those  in  the  redoubt  having  extricated  them 
selves  from  a  host  of  bayonets  by  which  they  had 
been  surrounded. 

The  British  followed  the  Americans  to  Bunker 
Hill,  but  some  fresh  militia  at  this  moment  coming 
op  to  the  aid  of  the  latter,  covered  their  retreat. 
The  Americans  crossed  Charlestown  Neck  about  7 
o'clock,  having  in  the  last  twenty  hours  performed 
deeds  which  seem  almost  impossible.  Some  of  them 
proceeded  to  Cambridge  and  others  posted  them 
selves  quietly  on  Winter  and  Prospect  Hills.. 

From  the  most  acurate  statements  that  can  be 
found,  it  appears  the  British  must  have  had  nearly 
5,000  soldiers  in  the  battle ;  between  3  and  4000 
having  first  landed,  and  the  reinforcement  amount 
ing  to  over  1,000.  The  Americans,  throughout  the 
whole  day,  did  not  have  2,000  men  on  the  field. 

The  slaughter  on  the  side  of  the  British  was  im 
mense,  having  had  nearly  1 ,500  killed  and  wounded  -y 
twelve  hundred  of  which  were  either  killed  or  mor 
tally  wounded, — the  Americans  about  400L 


101 

Had  the  Commanders  at  Charlestown  Heights 
become  terrified  on  being  cut  oft"  from  their  main 
body  and  supplies,  and  surrendered  their  army,  or 
even  retreated  before  they  did,  from  the  terrific 
force  that  opposed  them,  where  would  have  now 
been  that  ornament  and  example  to  the  world,  the 
independence  of  the  United  States  ? — When  it  was 
found  that  no  reinforcements  were  to  be  allowed 
them,  the  most  sanguine  man  on  that  field  could  not 
have  even  indulged  a  hope  of  success,  but  all  deter 
mined  to  deserve  it — and  although  they  did  not  ob 
tain  a  victory,  their  example  was  the  cause  of  a 
great  many. — The  first  attempt  on  the  commence 
ment  of  a  war  is  held  up,  by  one  party  or  the  other, 
as  an  example  to  those  that  succeed  it,  and  a  Victory 
or  Defeat,  though  not,  perhaps,  of  any  great  magni 
tude  in  itself,  is  most  powerful  and  important  in  its 
effects.  Had  such  conduct  as  was  here  exhibited, 
been  in  any  degree  imitated  by  the  immediate  Com 
mander  in  the  first  military  onset  of  the  last  war, 
how  truly  different  a  result  would  have  been  cffect- 
ed  to  the  fatal  one  that  terminated  that  unfortunate 
expedition. 

From  the  immense  superiority  of  the  British,  at 
this  stage  of  the  war,  having  a  large  army  of  highly 
disciplined  and  well  equipped  troops,  and  the  Amer 
icans  possessing  but  few  other  munitions  or  weap 
ons  of  war.  and  but  little  more  discipline,  than  what 
each  man  possessed  when  he  threw  aside  iiis  plougn 
and  took  the  gun  that  he  had  kept  for  pastime  or 
for  profit,  but  now  to  be  employed  for  a  different 
purpose,  from  off  the  hooks  that  held  it,— perhaps 
it  would  have  been  in  their  power,  by  pursuing  the 
Americans  to  Cambridge,  and  destroying  the  few- 
stores  that  had  been  collected  there,  to  implant 
a  blow  which  could  never  have  been  recovered 


102 

from,  but  they  were  completely  terrified.  The 
awful  lesson  they  had  just  received,  filled  them 
with  horror,  and  the  blood  of  1,500  of  their  com 
panions,  who  fell  on  that  day,  presented  to  them  a 
warning  which  they  could  never  forget.  From  the 
Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  sprung  the  protection  and  the 
vigor  that  nurtured  the  Tree  of  Liberty,  and  to  it, 
in  all  probability,  may  be  ascribed  our  Indepen 
dence  and  Glory. 

The  name  of  the  first  martyr  that  gave  his  life  for 
the  good  of  his  country  on  that  day,  in  the  impor 
tance  of  the  moment  was  lost,  else  a  Monument,  in 
connection  with  the  gallant  Warren,  should  be  rais 
ed  to  his  memory.  The  manner  of  his  death  was 
thus  related  by  Col.  Prescott : 

"  The  first  man  who  fell  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  was  killed  by  a  cannon  ball,  which  struck  his 
head.  He  was  so  near  me  that  my  clothes  were 
besmeared  with  his  blood  and  brains,  which  I  wiped 
off  in  some  degree,  with  a  handful  of  fresh  earth. 
The  sight  was  so  shocking  to  many  of  the  men,  that 
they  left  their  posts  and  ran  to  view  him.  I  ordered 
them  back,  but  in  vain.  I  then  ordered  him  to  be 
buried  instantly.  A  subaltern  officer  expressed 
surprise  that  I  should  allow  him  to  be  buried  with 
out  having  prayers  said  ;  I  replied, -this  is  the  first 
man  that  has  been  killed,  and  the  only  one  that  will 
be  buried  to  day.  I  put  him  out  of  sight  that  (he 
men  may  be  kept  in  their  places.  God  only  knows 
ivho,  or  how  many  of  us,  will  fall  before  it  is  over, 
To  your  post,  my* good  fellow,  and  let  each  man  do 
his  duty." 

The  name  of  the  patriot  who  thus  fell  is  suppo 
sed  to  have  been  POLLARD,  a  young  man  belonging 
to  Billerica.  He  was  struck  by  a  cannon  ball 
thrown  from  the  line  of  battle  ship  Somerset 


103 
(57.)  Arnolds  march  through  the  Wilderness.* 

About  the  same  time  that  Canada  was  invadad  by 
the  usual  route  from  New  York,  a  considerable  de 
tachment  of  the  American  army  was  brought  thither 
by  a  new  and  unexpected  passage.  Arnold,  who 
conducted  this  bold  undertaking,  acquired  thereby 
the  name  of  the  American  Hannibal.  He  was  sent, 
by  General  Washington,  with  a  thousand  men, 
from  Cambridge,  with  orders  to  penetrate  into  that 
province,  by  ascending  the  Kennebec,  and  then, 
after  crossing  the  mountains  which  divide  Canada 
from  Maine,  by  descending  the  Chaudiere,  to  the 
St.  Lawrence.  Great  were  the  difficulties,  and  se 
vere  the  deprivations,  they  had  to  encounter,  in 
marching  three  hundred  miles,  by  an  unexplored 
way,  through  an  uninhabited  country.  In  ascend 
ing  the  Kennebec,  they  were  constantly  obliged  to 
struggle  against  an  impetuous  current  ;  they  were 
often  compelled,  by  cataracts,  to  land,  and  haul 
their  batteaux  up  rapid  streams,  and  over  falls  of  riv 
ers.  They  had  to  contend  with  swamps,  woods, 
and  craggy  mountains.  At  some  places,  they  had 
to  cut  their  way,  for  miles  together,  through  forests, 
so  embarrassed,  that  their  progress  was  only  four 
or  five  miles  a  day.  One  third  of  their  number 
were,  from  sickness  and  want  of  food,  obliged  to 
return.  Provisions  grew  at  length  so  scarce,  that 
some  of  the  men  eat  their  dogs,  cartouch  boxes, 
leather  small  clothes,  and  shoes.  Still  they  pro 
ceeded  with  unabated  fortitude.  They  gloried  in 
the  hope  of  completing  a  march  which  would  rival 
the  greatest  exploits  of  antiquity  ;  and  on  the  third 
of  November,  after  thirty-one  days  spent  in  traver 
sing  a  hideous  desert,  they  reached  the  inhabited 
parts  of  Canada,  where  the  people  were  struck  with 


104 

amazement  and  admiration,  when  they  saw  this  ar 
med  force  emerging  from  the  wilderness. 

Grimshavfs  Hist.  U.  S. 


(58.)  Death  of  Gen.  Montgomery. 

Richard  Montgomery,  a  Major  General  in  the  ar 
my  of  the  United  States,  was  born  in  the  north  of 
Ireland,  in  the  year  1737.  He  possessed  an  excel 
lent  genius,  which  was  matured  by  a  fine  education. 
Entering  the  army  of  Great  Britain,  he  successfully 
fought  her  battles  with  Wolfe,  at  Quebec,  in  1759, 
on  the  very  spot,  where  he  was  doomed  to  fall, 
when  fighting  against  her,  under  the  banners  of 
freedom.  After  his  return  to  England,  he  quitted 
his  regiment,  in  1772,  though  in  a  fair  way  to  pre 
ferment.  He  had  imbibed  an  attachment  to  Ameri 
ca,  viewing  it  as  the  rising  seat  of  arts  and  freedom. 
After  his  arrival  in  this  country,  he  purchased  an 
estate  in  New  York,  about  a  hundred  miles  from  the 
city,  and  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Living'ston. 
He  now  considered  himself  as  an  American.  When 
the  struggle  with  Great  Britain  commenced,  as  he 
was  known  to  have  an  ardent  .attachment  to  liberty, 
and  had  expressed  his  readiness  to  draw  his  sword 
on  the  side  of  the  Colonies,  the  command  of  the 
continental  forces  in  the  northern  department,  was 
entrusted  to  him  and  General  Schuyler,  in  the  fall 
of  1775. 

By  the  indisposition  of  Schuyler,  the  chief  com 
mand  devolved  upon  him  in  October.  He  reduced 
fort  Chamblee,  and  on  the  third  of  November,  cap^ 
tured  St.  Johns.  On  .the  12th,  he  took  Monk- 
real.  In  December,  he  joined  Col,  Arnold,  and 
marclied  to  Quebec.  The  city  was  besieged,  and 


105 

on  the  last  day  of  the  year  it  was  determined  to 
make  an  assault.  The  several  divisions  were  ac 
cordingly  put  in  motion,  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy 
fall  of  snow  which  concealed  them  from  the  enemy. 
Montgomery  advanced  at  the  head  of  the  New 
York  troops,  along  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  having 
assisted  with  his  own  hands  in  pulling  up  the  pick 
ets,  which  obstructed  his  approach  to  one  of  the 
barriers  he  was  determined  to  force,  he  was  pushed 
forwards,  when  one  of  the  guns  from  the  battery 
was  discharged,  and  he  was  killed,  with  his  two 
aids.  This  was  the  only  gun  that  was  fired,  for  the 
enemy  had  been  struck  with  consternation  and  all 
but  one  or  two  had  fled.  But  this  event  probably 
prevented  the  capture  of  Quebec.  When  he  fell, 
Montgomery  was  in  a  narrow  passage,  and  his  body 
rolled  upon  the  ice,  which  formed  by  the  side  ot  the 
river.  After  it  was  found  the  next  morning  among 
the  slain,  it  was  buried  by  a  few  soldiers,  without 
any  marks  of  distinction.  He  was  thirty-eight  years 
of  age.  He  was  a  man  of  great  military  talents, 
whose  measures  were  taken  with  judgment,  and 
executed  with  vigor.  With  undisciplined  troops, 
who  were  jealous  of  him  in  the  extreme,  he  yet  in- 
inspired  them  with  his  own  enthusiasm.  He  shared 
with  them  in  all  their  hardships,  and  thus  prevent 
ed  their  complaints.  His  industry  could  not  be 
wearied,  nor  his  vigilance  imposed  upon,  nor  his 
courage  intimidated. 

To  express  the  high  sense  entertained  by  his  coun 
try,  of  his  services,  Congress  directed  a  monument 
of  white  marble,  to  his  memory,  should  be  placed 
in  front  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  New  York. 

The  remains  of  General  Montgomery,  after  rest 
ing  4<2  years  at  Quebec,  by  a  resolve  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  were  brought  to  the  city  of  Ne\y 
10 


106 

York,  on  the  8th  of  July,  1818,  and  deposited  with 
ample  form  and  grateful  ceremonies,  near  the  afore 
said  monument  in  St.  Paul's  Church.— Morse's  Rev. 


(59.)   Washington,    Commander    in-    Chief  of   the 
American  Army. 

In  May,  1775,  Congress  met  agreeable  to 
adjournment.  Hostilities  having  commenced,  it  was 
a  point  of  vital  importance  to  the  American  cause, 
to  select  a  proper  person  for  Commander  in  Chief 
of  the  American  forces. 

George  Washington,*  a  delegate  from  Virginia, 
*For  three  years  subsequent  to  the  defeat  of  Braddock, 
Washington  superintended  the  troops  of  Virginia;  in  which 
highly  dangerous  service,  he  continued  until  peace  was  giv 
en  to  the  frontier  of  his  native  Colony,  by  the  reduction  of 
fort  Duquesne  ;  an  enterprize  undertaken  in  conformity  with 
his  repeated  solicitations,  and  accompanied  by  himself,  at 
the  head  of  his  own  regiment.  The  arduous  duties  of  his 
situation,  rendered  irksome  by  the  invidious  treatment  exr 
perienced  from  the  Governor,  and  by  the  unmanageable  dis 
position  of  the  officers  and  privates  under  his  command, 
were  related  by  himself,  ip  a  highly  interesting  narrative, 
and  fully  acknowledged  by  the  assembly  of  Virginia.  Soon 
afterwards,  he  retired  to  his  estate  at  Mount  Vernon,  and 
pursued  the  arts  of  peaceful  life,  with  great  industry  and 
success.  When  the  proceedings  of  the  British  Parliament 
had  alarmed  the  colonists  with  apprehensions  that  a  blow 
was  levelled  at  their  liberties,  he  again  came  forward  to 
serve  the  public;  was  appointed  a  delegate  to  Congress;  and 
in  that  body,  was  chairman  of  every  committee  selected  to 
make  arrangements  for  defence.  He  was  now  in  his  forty- 
fourth  year,  possessed  a  large  share  of  common  sense,  and 
was  directed  by  a  sound  judgment.  Engaged  in  the  busy 
scenes  of  life,  he  knew  human  nature,  and  the  most  proper 
method  of  accomplishing  his  plans.  His  passions  were  sub 
dued,  and  held  in  subjection  to  reason.  His  mind  was  supe 
rior  to  prejudice  and  party  spirit;  his  soul  too  generous  to 
burthen  his  country  with  expense ;  his  principles  too  just  to 


107 

tvas,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  Congress,  appoint 
ed  tofiflthis  important  station,  on  the  15th  of  June, 

1775.  "  To  Washington's  experience   in  military 
affairs  were  united  sound  judgment,  extensive  know 
ledge   of   men,    perfect  probity,    pure  morals,    a 
grave   deportment,     indefatigable    industry,    easy 
manners,  strict  politeness,  a  commanding  person, 
cool  bravery,  unshaken  fortitude,  and  a  prudence 
that  baffled  and  confounded  his  enemies." 

Soon  after  his  appointment,  General  Washing 
ton  repaired  to  the  army,  who  were  besieging  Bos 
ton  ;  he  was  received  with  profound  respect  and 
joyful  acclamations  by  the  American  army. 

The  Americans  having  so  closely  invested  Boston, 
the  British  commander  judged  it  prudent  to  evacuate 
the  town,  which  they  did  on  the  17th  of  March, 

1776,  taking  with   them   1500  of  the  inhabitants, 

allow  his  placing  military  glory  in  competition  with  the  pub 
lic  good. 

On  the  President  of  Congress  announcing  his  commission, 
he  replied  :  "  Though  I  am  truly  sensible  of  the  high  honor 
done  me  in  this  appointment,  yet,  I  feel  a  deep  distress,  from 
a  consciousness,  that  my  abilities  and  military  experience 
may  not  be  equal  to  the  extensive  and  important  trust. 
However,  as  the  Congress  desire  it,  I  will  enter  on  the  mo 
mentous  duty,  and  exert  every  power  I  possess,  in  their  ser 
vice  for  the  support  of  the  glorious  cause.  I  beg  they  will 
accept  my  most  cordial  thanks  for  this  distinguished  testimo 
ny  of  their  approbation.  But,  lest  some  unlucky  event 
should  happen,  unfavorable  to  my  reputation,  I  beg  it  may  be 
remembered  by  every  gentleman  in  the  room,  that  I  this 
day  declare,  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  I  do  not  think  myself 
equal  to  the  command  I  am  honored  with.  As  to  pay,  sir, 
I  beg  leave  to  assure  the  Congress,  that,  as  no  pecuniary 
consideration  could  have  tempted  me  to  accept  this  arduous 
employment,  at  the  expense  of  my  domestic  ease  and  happi 
ness,  I  do  not  wish  to  make  any  profit  from  it.  I  will  keep 
an  exact  account  of  my  disbursements ;  those,  I  doubt  not, 
they  will  discharge,  and  that  is  all  I  desire." — Grimshaic's 
Hist.  U.  S. 


108 

who  dared  not  stay,  on  account  of  their  attachment 
to  the  British  cause. 

General   Washington    immediately   entered   the 
town,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  inhabitants. 


(60.)  Attack  on  Sullivan's  Island. 

In  the  months  of  June  and  July,  in  1776,  the 
British  commanders,  G.en.  Clinton  and  Sir  Peter 
Parker,  attempted  to  destroy  the  fort  on  Sullivan's 
Island,  near  Charleston,  S.  C.  Their  force  con 
sisted  of  two  50  gun  ships,  and  four  frigates  of  2& 
guns  each,  besides  several  smaller  vessels,  with 
3000  troops  on  board.  The  fort  was  commanded 
by  Col.  Moultrier  with  a  garrison  of  but  375  regu 
lars,  and  a  few  militia.  This  fort,  though  not  en 
tirely  finished,  was  very  strong. 

"  However,  the  British  Generals  resolved,  with 
out  hesitation,  to  attack  it ;  but  though  an  attack 
was  easy  from  the  sea,  it  was  very  difficult  to  obtain 
a  co-operation  of  the  land  forces.  This  was  at 
tempted  by  landing  them  on  Long  Island,  adjacent 
to  Sullivan's  Island  on  the  east,  from  which  it  is. 
separated  by  a  very  narrow  creek,  said>  to  be  not 
above  two  feet  deep  at  low  water^ 

Opposite  to  this  ford,  the  Americans  had  post 
ed  a  strong  body  of  troops,  with  cannon  and  en 
trenchments,  while  Gen.  Lee  was  posted  on  the 
main  land,  with  a  bridge  of  boats  betwixt  that  and 
Sullivan's  Island,  so  that  he  could  at  pleasure  send 
reinforcements  to  the  troops  in  the  fort  on  Sullivan's 
Island. 

On  the  part  of  the  British,  so  many  delays  oc 
curred,  that  it  was  the  24th  of  June  before  matters 
were  in  readiness  for  an  attack ;  and  by  this  time^ 
the  Americans  had  abundantly  provided  for  their 


109 

reception.  On  the  morning  of  that  day,  the  bomb 
ketch  began  to  throw  shells  into  Forf.  Sullivan,  and 
about  mid-day,  the  two  fifty  gun  ships,  and  thirty 
gun  frigates,  came  up,  and  began  a  severe  fire. 

Three  other  frigates  were  ordered  to  take  their 
station  between  Charleston  and  the  fort,  in  order  to 
enfilade  the  batteries,  and  cut  oif  the  communica 
tion  with  the  main  land;  but  through  the  ignorance 
of  the  pilots,  they  all  stuck  fast ;  and  though  two  of 
them  were  disentangled,  they  were  found  to  be  to 
tally  unfit  for  service.  The  third  was  burnt,  that 
she  might  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans. 

The  attack  was  therefore  confined  to  the  five  ar 
med  ships  and  bomb-ketch,  between  whom  and  the 
fort  a  dreadful  fire  ensued.  The  Bristol  suffered 
excessively,  the  springs  on  her  cable  being  shot 
away,  she  was  for  some  time  entirely  exposed  to 
the  enemy's  fire.  As  the  Americans  poured  in 
great  quantities  of  red  hot  balls,  she  was  twice  in, 
Sames.  Her  Captain,  Mr.  Morris,  after  receiving 
five  wounds,  was  obliged  to  go  below  deck,  in  or 
der  to  have  his  arm  amputated.  After  undergoing 
this  operation,  he  returned  to  his  place,  where  he 
received  another  wound,  but  still  refused  to  quit  his 
station.  At  last,  he  received  a  red  hot  ball  in  his 
belly,  which  instantly  put  an  end  to  his  life. 

Of  all  the  officers  and  seamen  who  stood  on  the 
quarter-deck  of  the  Bristol,  not  one  escaped  with 
out  a  wound,  excepting  Sir  Peter  Parker  alone ; 
whose  intrepidity  and  presence  of  mind  on  this  oc 
casion,  were  very  remarkable.  The  engagement 
lasted  till  darkness  put  an  end  to  it.  Little  damage 
was  done  by  the  British,  as  the  works  of  the  Amer 
icans  lay  so  low,  that  many  of  the  shot  flew  over ; 
and  the  fortifications,  being  composed  of  palm  trees 

10* 


no 

mixed  with  earth,  were  extremely  well  calculated 
to  resist  the  impression  of  cannon. 

During  the  height  of  the  attack,  the  American 
batteries  remained  for  some  time  silent,  so  that  it 
was  concluded  that  they  had  been  abandoned;  but 
this  was  found  to  proceed  only  from  want  of  pow 
der  ;  for  as  soon  as  a  supply  of  this  necessary  arti 
cle  was  obtained,  the  firing  was  resumed  as  brisk 
as  before.  During  the  whole  of  this  desperate  en 
gagement,  it  was  found  impossible  for  the  land  for 
ces  to  give  the  least  assistance  to  the  fleet ;  the  Ame 
rican  works  were  found  to  be  much  stronger  than  they 
had  been  imagined,  and  the  depth  of  water  effectu 
ally  prevented  them  from  making  any  attempt. 

In  this  unsuccessful  attack,  the  killed  and  woun 
ded  on  the  part  of  the  British,  amounted  to  about 
two  hundred.  The  Bristol  and  Experiment  were 
so  much  damaged,  that  it  was  thought  they  could 
not  have  been  got  over  the  bar ;  however  this  was 
at  last  accomplished,  by  a  very  great  exertion  of 
naval  skill,  to  the  surprise  of  the  Americans,  who 
had  expected  to  make  them  both  prizes.  On  the 
American  side,  the  loss  was  judged  to  have  been 
considerable-" —  Williams'  Revolution. 


(61.)  Declaration  of  Independence. 

The  American  people,  exasperated  by  the  pro 
ceedings,  of  the  British  Government,  which  placed 
them  out  of  their  protection,  and  engaging  foreign 
mercenaries  to  assist  in  subduing  them,  began  to 
broach  the  subject  of  Independence  from  the  British 
crown. 

Accordingly,  the  subject  was  brought  before  Con 
gress  ;  but  some  of  the  members  of  that  body  being 
absent,  they  adjourned  its  consideration  to  the  first 
of  July. 


Ill 

They  accordingly  met,  and  appointed  Thomas 
Jefferson,  John  Adams,  Benjamin  Franklin,  Roger 
Sherman,  and  Philip  Livingston,  to  frame  the  De 
claration  of  Independence.  They  agreed  that  each 
of  their  number  should  draft  a  declaration,  and 
read  it  next  day,  in  rotation,  to  the  rest.  They  ac 
cordingly  met,  and  Mr.  Jefferson  was  fixed  upon 
to  "  read  first ;"  his  gave  such  satisfaction  that  none 
other  was  read,  Their  report  was  accepted,  and 
Congress  declared  "  the  thirteen  United  States  Free 
and  Independent^  July  4,  1776. 

"  This  declaration  was  received  by  the  people 
with  transports  of  joy.  Public  rejoicings  took  place 
in  various  parts  of  the  Union.  In  New  York,  the 
statue  of  George  III.  was  taken  down  and  the  lead 
of  which  it  was  composed  was  converted  into  mus 
ket  balls." 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  was,  by  order  of  Con 
gress,  engrossed,  and  signed  by  the  following  members: 

JOHN    HANCOCK. 

JVew  Hampshire.  Francis  Lewis, 

Josiah  Bartlett,  Lewis  Morris, 
William  Whipple,  JVew  Jersfy. 

Matthew  Thornton.  Richard  Stockton, 

Massachusetts  Bay.  John  Witherspoon, 

Samuel  Adams,  Francis  Hopkinson, 

John  Adams,  John  Hart, 

Robert  Treat  Paine,  Abraham  Clark. 
Elbridge  Gerry.  Pennsylvania, 

Rhode  Island,  fyc.  Robert  Morris, 

Stephen  Hopkins,  Benjamin  Rush, 

William  Ellery.  Benjamin  Franklin, 

Connecticut.  John  Morton, 

Roger  Sherman,  George  Clymer* 

Samuel  Huntington,  James  Smith, 

William  Williams,  George  Taylor, 

Oliver  Wolcott.  James  Wilson, 

JVfito  York*  George  Ross, 

William  Floyd,  Thomas  M'Kean. 
Philip  Livingston, 


112 

Delaware.  Carter  Braxton. 
Caesar  Rodney ,  North  Carolina. 

George  Read.  William  Hooper, 

Maryland.  Joseph  Hewes, 

Samuel  Chase,  Joha  Penn. 
William  Paca,  South  Carolina, 

Thomas  Stone,  Edward  Rutiedge, 
Charles  Carroll,  of  Carrollton.Thomas  Hey  ward,  Jr. 

Virginia,  Thomas  Lynch,  Jr. 

Georg-e  Wythev    \  Arthur  Middieton. 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  Georgia. 

Thomas  Jefferson,  Button  Gwinnett, 

Benjamin  Harrison,  Lyman  Hall, 

Thomas  Nelson,  Jr.  George  Walton. 
Francis  Lightfoot  Lee, 


(62.)  Battle  on  Long  Island. 

The  command   of  the  British  force,  destined   to 
operate  against  New  York,  was  given  to  Admiral 
Lord  Howe  and  his  brother  Sir  William,  who,  ia 
addition  to  their  military  powers,  were  appointed 
commissioners  for  restoring  peace  to  the  Colonies. 
General  Howe,  after  waiting  two  months  at  Halifax 
for  his  brother,   and  the  expected  reinforcements 
from  England,  sailed  with  the  force  which  he  had 
previously  commanded  in  Boston  ;  and  directing  his 
course  towards  New  York,  arrived  in  the  latter  end 
of  June,  off  Sandy  Hook.     Admiral  Lord   Howe, 
with  part  of  the  reinforcement  from  England,  arri 
ved  at  Halifax,  soon  after  his  brother's  departure  j 
and  without  dropping  anchor,  followed  and  joined 
him  near  Staten  Island,     These  two  royal  commis 
sioners,  before  they  commenced  military  operations, 
attempted  to  effect  a  re-union  between  the  Colonies 
and  Great  Britain ;  but  both  the  substance  and  the 
form  of  their  communications  for  that  purpose,  wera 
too  exceptionable,  to  be  for  a  moment  seriously  re 
garded, 


us 

The  British  forces  waited  so  long  to  receive  acf-* 
cessions  from  Halifax,  South  Carolina,  Florida,  the 
West  Indies  and  Europe,  that  the  month  of  August 
was  far  advanced  before  they  were  in  a  condition  to 
open  the  campaign.  Their  commanders,  having  re 
solved  to  mate  their  first  attempt  on  Long  Island, 
landed  their  troops,  estimated  at  about  twenty-four 
thousand  men,  at  Gravesend  Bay,  to  the  right  of  the 
Narrows.  The  Americans,  to  the  amount  of  fifteen 
thousand,  under  Major  General  Sullivan,  were 
posted  on  a  peninsula  between  Mill  Creek,  a  little 
above  Red  Hook,  and  an  elbow  of  East  River,  cal 
led  Whaaleboght  Bay.  Here  they  had  erected 
strong  fortifications,  which  were  separated  from 
New  York  by  East  River,  at  the  distance  of  a 
mile,  A  line  of  entrenchments  from  the  Mill  Creek 
enclosed  a  large  space  of  ground,  on  which  stood 
the  American  camp,  near  the  village  of  Brooklyn, 
This  line  was  secured  by  abattis,  and  flanked  by 
strong  redoubts.  The  armies  were  separated  by  a 
range  of  hills,  covered  with  a  thick  wood,  which 
intersect  the  country  from  west  to  east,  terminating 
on  the  east  near  Jamaica.  Through  these  hills 
there  were  three  roads ;  one  near  the  Narrows,  a 
second  on  the  Flatbush  road,  and  a  third  on  the 
Bedford  road  ;  and  these  were  the  only  passes  from 
the  south  side  of  the  hills  to  the  American  lines,  ex 
cepting  a  road,  which  leads  to  Jamaica  round  the 
easterly  end  of  the  hills.  General  Putnam,  agree 
ably  to  the  instructions  of  General  Washington,  had 
detached  a  considerable  part  of  his  men  to  occupy 
the  woody  hills  and  passes;  but  in  the  performance 
of  this  service  there  appears  to  have  been  a  deficien 
cy,  either  of  skill  or  of  vigilance. 

When  the  whole  British  army  was  landed,  the 
Hessians,  under  General  De  Heister,  composed  the 


iU 

centre  atPlatbush  ;  Major  General  Grant  command 
ed  the  left  wing,  which  extended  to  the  coast;  and 
the  principal  army,  under  the  command  of  General 
Clinton,  Earl  Percy,  and  Lord  Cornwallis,  turned 
short  to  the  right,  and  approached  the  opposite 
coast  at  Flatland.  The  position  of  the  Americans 
having  been  reconnoitered,  Sir  William  Howe,  from 
the  intelligence  given  him,  determined  to  attempt 
to  turn  their  left  flank.  The  right  wing  of  his  ar 
my,  consisting  of  a  strong  advanced  corps,  com 
manded  by  General  Clinton  and  supported  by  the 
brigades  under  Lord  Percy,  began  at  nine  o'clock 
at  night,  on  the  26th  of  August,  to  move  from  Flat- 
land  ;  and,  passing  through  the  New  Lots,  arrived 
on  the  road  that  crosses  the  hills  from  Bedford  to  Ja 
maica.  Having  taken  a  patrol,  they  seized  the  pass 
without  alarming  the  Americans.  At  half  after 
eight  in  the  morning,  the  British  troops,  having  pas 
sed  the  heights  and  reached  Bedford,  began  an  at 
tack  on  the  left  of  the  American  army.  In  the  cen 
tre,  General  De  Heister,  soon  after  day  light,  had 
begun  to  cannonade  the  troops,  which  occupied  the 
direct  road  to  Brooklyn,  and  which  were  command 
ed  by  General  Sullivan  in  person.  As  soon  as  the 
firing  towards  Bedford  was  heard,  De  Heister  ad 
vanced  and  attacked  the  centre  of  the  Americans, 
who  after  a  warm  engagement,  were  routed  and 
driven  into  the  woods.  The  firing  towards  Bedford 
giving  them  the  alarming  notice,  that  the  British  had 
turned  their  left  flank,  and  were  getting  completely 
into  their  rear ;  they  endeavored  to  escape  to  the 
camp.  The  sudden  route  of  this  party,  enabled 
De  Heister  to  detach  a  part  of  his  force  against,  those 
who  were  engaged  near  Bedford.  There  also  the 
Americans  were  broken  and  driven  into  the  woods  ; 
and  the  front  of  the  British  column,  led  by  General 


Ho 

Clinton,  continuing  to  move  forward,  intercepted 
and  engaged  those  whom  De  Heister  had  routed, 
and  drove  them  back  into  the  woods.  They  again 
met  the  HeSvsians,  who  drove  them  back  on  the 
British.  Thus  alternately  chased  and  intercepted, 
some  forced  their  way  through  the  enemy  to  the 
lines  of  Brooklyn ;  several  saved  themselves  in  the 
coverts  of  the  woods  ;  but  a  great  part  of  the  der 
tachment  were  killed  or  taken. 

The  left  column,  led  by  General  Grant,  advan 
cing  from  the  Narrows  along  the  .coast,  to  divert  the 
attention  of  the  Americans  from  the  principal  attack 
on  the  right,  had  about  midnight  fallen  in  with  Lord 
Sterling's  advanced  guard,  stationed  at  a  strong 
pass,  and  compelled  them  to  relinquish  it.  As  they 
were  slowly  retiring,  they  were  met  on  the  summit 
of  the  hills  about  break'of  day,  by  Lord  Sterling^ 
who  had  been  directed  with  the  two  nearest  regi 
ments,  to  meet  the  British  on  the  road  leading  from  the 
Narrows.  Lord  Sterling  having  posted  his  men  adr 
vantageously,  a  furious  cormonade  commenced  on 
both  sides,  which  continued  several  hours.  The 
firing  towards  Brooklyn,  where  the  fugitives  were 
pursued  by  the  British,  giving  notice  to  Lord  Ster 
ling,  that  the  enemy  had  gained  his  rear,  he  instant 
ly  gave  orders  to  retreat  across  a  creek,  near  the 
Yellow  Mills.  The  more  effectually  to  secure  the 
retreat  of  the  main  body  of  the  detachment,  he  de 
termined  to  attack  in  person;  a  British  corps  under 
Lord  Cornwallis,  stationed  at  a  house  somewhat 
above  the  place  where  he  proposed  crossing  the 
creek.  With  about  four  hundred  men,  drawn  out  of 
Smallwood's  regiment  for  that  purpose,  lie  made  a 
very  spirited  attack,  and  brought  up  this  small  corps 
several  times  to  the  charge,  with  confident  expecta 
tions  of  dislodging  Lord  Cornwallis  from  his  postj 

> 


116 

but  the  force  in  his  front  increasing,  and  General 
£rrant  now  advancing  on  his  rear,  he  was  compelled 
to  surrender  himself  and  his  brave  men  prisoners  of 
war.  This  bold  attempt,  however,  gave  opportuni 
ty  to  a  large  part  of  the  detachment  to  cross  the 
creek  and  effect  an  escape.* — Holmes'  Annals. 

"  After  this  severe  defeat,  Gen.  Washington,  with 
the  advice  of  a  council  .of  officers,  ordered  a  retreat 
from  Long  Island.  On  the  night  of  the  29th,  this 
was  effected,  with, a  success  that  wasdeemed  a  mer 
ciful  interposition  of  heaven.  Within  a  single  night, 
an  army  of  9,000  men,  with  their  artillery,  tents, 
and  baggage,  was  transported  to  New  York,  over 
a  difficult  ferry,  a  mile  in  width,  while  the  British 
army  .was  encamped  within  600  yards,  and  did  not 
discover  the  retreat,  till  too  late  to  annoy  the  Amer- 
^cans." 


(63.)  Death  of  Capt.  Hale. 

r  After  General  Washington,  by  his  retreat,  had  left 
the  British  in  complete  possession  of  jLong  Island, 
and  not  knowing  what  would  be  their  future  opera 
tions,  he  applied  to  General  Kriowhon,  commander 
of  a  regiment  of  light  infantry,  to  devise  som$ 
means  for  gaining  necessary  information  of  the  de 
sign  of  the  British  in  their  future  movements.  Cap 
tain  Hale  nobly  offered  himself  for  this  hazardous 

*The  loss  of  the  British  and  Hessians,  is  stated  by  Ameri 
can  historians  at  about  450;  Sledman  says,  "it  did  not 
exceed  300  killed  anci  wounded."  The  ioss  of  the  Ameri 
cans  was  not  admitted  by  General  Washing-top  lo  exceed 
1000  men;  "'•hut  i'»  fhis  estimate,  he  could  only  have  inclu 
ded  the  regular  troops."  General  Hv>we  states  the  prisoners 
vto  have  been  1037;  among-  vrljom  were  Majar  General  Sul 
liran,  and  Brigadiers  Lord  Sterling  and  Woodhull. 


161 


Murder   o 


in 

and  important  service.     His  amiable,  pious,  intel 
ligent,  and  patriotic  character,  and  the  sacrifice  of 
his  life  in  the  manner  in  which  he  made  the  sacrifice, 
entitle  him  to  a  distinguished   rank  among  th 
patriots  of  the  revolution.     The  particulars  o'   Viis 
tragical   event,  sanctioned  by  General  Hull, 
was  knowing  to  them  at  the  time,  are  related  by 
H.  Adams,  in  her  History  of  New  England. 

"  The  retreat  of  General  Washington,  left  the 
British  in  complete  possession  of  Long  Isiand. 
What  would  be  their  future  operations,  remained 
uncertain.  To  obtain  information  of  their  situation, 
their  strength,  and  future  movements,  was  of  high 
importance.  For  this  purpose,  General  Washing 
ton  applied  to  Col.  Knowlton,  who  commanded  a 
regiment  of  light  infantry,  which  formed  the  van  of 
the  American  army,  and  desired  him  to  adopt  some 
mode  of  gaining  the  necessary  information.  Col. 
Knowlton  communicated  this  request  to  Nathan 
Hale,  of  Connecticut,  who  was  then  a  Captain  in 
his  regiment.  This  young  officer,  animated  by  a 
sense  of  duty,  and  considering  that  an  opportunity 
presented  itself  by  which  he  might  be  useful  to  his 
country,  at  once  offered  himself  a  volunteer  for  this 
hazardous  service.  He  passed  in  disguise  to  Long 
Island,  examined  every  part  of  the  British  army, 
and  obtained  the  best  possible  information  respect 
ing  their  situation  and  future  operations. 

In  his  attempt  to  return,  he  was  apprehended, 
carried  before  Sir  William  Howe,  and  the  proof  of 
his  object  was  so  clear,  that  he  frankly  acknowledg 
ed  who  he  was,  and  what  were  his  views. 

Sir  William  Howe  at  once  gave  an  order  to  the 
provost  marshal  to  execute  him  the  next  morning. 

The  order  was  accordingly  executed  in  a  most 
unfeeling  manner,  and  by  as  great  a  savage  as  ever 
H 


113 

disgraced  humanity.     A  clergyman,  whose  attend 
ance  he  desired,  was  refused  him  ;  a  bible,  fora  mo 
ment's  devotion   was  not  procured,  though  he  re- 
]uc.  *ed  it.     Letters,  which  on   the  morning  of  his 
ition,  he  wrote  to  his  mother  and  other  friends, 
destroyed  ;  and  this  very  extraordinary  reason 
was  given   by  the  provost  marshal,  "  that  the  reb 
els  should  not   know  that  they  had  a  man  in  their 
army,  who  could  die  with  so  much  firmness." 

i{  Unknown  to  all  around  him,  without  a  single 
friend  to  offer  him  the  least  consolation,  thus  fell  as 
amiable  and  as  worthy  a  young  man  as  Americacould 
boast,  with  this  as  his  dying  observation,  "that  he  only 
lamented  he  had  but  one  life  to  lose  for  his  country." 


(f>4.)  Battle   of  Trenton, 

The  summer  and  fall  of  1776,  was  the  most 
gloomy  period  of  the  American  revolution.  Gen, 
Washington  had  been  obliged  to  retreat  from  Long 
Island  to  New  York,  thence  over  the  Hudson  to 
New  Jersey,  and  through  New  Jersey  to  Pennsyl 
vania,  vigorously  pursued  by  an  enemy  flushed 
with  a  series  of  success.  The  retreat  through  New 
Jersey,  was  attended  with  circumstances  of  a  pain 
ful  and  trying  nature.  Washington's  army,  which 
had  consisted  of  30,000  men,  was  now  diminished 
to  scarcely  3,000,  and  these  were  without  supplies, 
without  pay,  and  many  of  them  without  shoes  or 
comfortable  clothing.  Their  footsteps  were  stain 
ed  with  blood,  as  they  fled  before  the  enemy.  The 
affairs  of  the  Americans,  seemed  in  such  a  despe 
rate  condition,  that  those  who  had  been  most  con 
fident  of  success,  began  despairingly  to  give  up  all 
as  lost.  Many  Americans  joined  the  British  and 


119 

took  protections  from  them.  In  this  season  of  gen 
eral  despondency,  the  American  Congress  recom 
mended  to  each  of  the  states,  to  observe  "  a  day  of 
solemn  fasting  and  humiliation  before  God." 

Gen.  Washington  saw  the  necessity  of  making  a 
desperate  effort  for  the  salvation  of  his  country. 
On  the  night  of  the  25th  of  December,  1776,  the 
American  army  recrosscd  the  Delaware,  which  was 
filled  with  pieces  of  floating  ice,  and  marched  to  at 
tack  a  division  of  Hessians,  who  had  advanced  to 
Trenton.  The  sun  had  just  risen  as  the  tents  of  the 
enemy  appeared  in  sight.  No  time  was  to  be  lost — 
Washington  rising  on  his  stirrups,  waved  his  sword 
towards  the  hostile  army,  and  exclaimed,  "  There, 
my  brave  friends,  are  the  enemies  of  your  country  ! 
and  now  all  I  have  to  ask  of  you  is  to  remember  what 
you  are  about  to  fight  for  !  March  !  /" 

The  troops  animated  by  their  commander,  pres 
sed  on  to  the  charge — the  Hessians  were  taken  by 
surprise,  and  before  they  could  form,  the  contest 
was  decided;  about  1000  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
40  killed,  among  whom  was  their  commander,  fa 
German  officer,)  Col.  Rahl. 


(65.)   Battle  of  Princeton. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1777,  Lord  Cornwallis  ap 
peared  near  Trenton,  with  a  strong  body  of  troops.. 
Skirmishing  took  place,  and  impeded  the  march  of 
lh?  British  army,  until  the  Americans  had  secured 
their  artillery  and  baggage  ;  when  they  retired  to 
the  southward  of  the  creek,  and  repulsed  the  ene 
my  in  their  attempt  to  pass  the  bridge.  As  General 
Washington's  force  was  not  sufficient  to  meet  the 
enemy,  and  his  situation  was  critical,  he  determin- 


120 

ed,  with  the  advice  of  a  council  of  war,  to  attempt 
a  stratagem.  He  gave  orders  for  the  troops  to  light 
fires  in  their  camp,  [which  were  intended  to  deceive 
the  enemy,]  and  be  prepared  to  march.  Accord 
ingly,  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  the  troops  left  the 
ground,  and  by  a  circuitous  march  eluded  the  vigi 
lance  of  the  enemy,  and  early  in  the  morning  ap 
peared  at  Princeton.  A  smart  action  ensued,  but 
the  British  troops  gave  way.  A  party  took  refuge 
in  the  college,  a  building  with  strong  stone  walls, 
but  were  forced  to  surrender.  The  enemy  lost,  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  about  five  hundred 
men.  The  Americans  lost  but  few  men  ;  but  among 
•  hern  was  a  most  valuable  officer,  General  Mercer* 
H'ebster's  Elements  Useful  Knozvledge. 


(66.)  Battle  of  Brandy  wine. 

The  British  General  Howe,  with  a  force  of  16,000 
men,  on  the  1 5th  of  August  landed  at  the  head 
of  Elk  river*  It  being  obvious  that  his  design  was 
the  occupation  of  Philadelphia,  General  Washing-^ 
ton  immediately  put  the  American  army  in  motion 
towards  that  place,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  The  two  armies  met  at  Bran 
dy  wine,  in  Delaware. 

"  At  day  break  on  the  morning  of  the  eleventh, 
the  royal  army  advanced  in  two  columns  ;  the  one 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  General  Knypausen,  and 
the  other  by  Lord  Cornwallis.  While  the  first  col 
umn  took  the  direct  road  to  Chadd's  Ford,  and  made 
a  show  of  passing  it  in  front  of  the  main  body  of  the 
Americans,  the  other  moved  up  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Brandywine,  to  its  fork,  crossed  both  its  branches 
about  two  in  the  afternoon,  and  marched  down  on 


121 

its  eastern  side,  with  the  view  of  turning  the  right 
wing  of  their  adversaries.  General  Washington, 
on  receiving  intelligence  of  their  approach,  made 
the  proper  disposition  to  receive  them.  The  divis 
ions  commanded  by  Sullivan,  Sterling,  and  Stephen, 
advanced  a  little  farther  up  the  Brandywine,  and 
fronted  the  column  of  the  approaching  enemy ; 
Wayne's  division,  with  Maxwell's  light  infantry,  re 
mained  at  Chadd's  Ford,  to  keep  Knypausen  in 
check;  Green's  division,  accompanied  by  General 
Washington,  formed  a  reserve,  and  took  a  central 
position  between  the  right  and  left  wings.  The  di 
visions  detached  against  Cornwallis,  took  posses 
sion  of  the  heights  above  Birmingham  church,  their 
left  reaching  towards  the  Brandywine  ;  the  artillery 
was  judiciously  placed,  and  their  flanks  were  cov 
ered  by  woods.  About  four  o'clock,  Lord 
Cornwallis  formed  the  line  of  battle,  and  began  the 
attack.  The  Americans  sustained  it  for  some  time 
with  intrepidity ;  but  the  right  at  length  giving  way, 
the  remaining  divisions,  exposed  to  a  galling  fire 
on  the  flank,  continued  to  break  on  the  right,  and  the 
whole  line  was  soon  completely  routed.  As  soon  as 
Cornwallis  had  commenced  the  attack,  Knypausen 
crossed  the  ford,  and  attacked  the  troops,  posted 
for  its  defence  ;  which,  after  a  severe  conflict,  were 
compelled  to  give  way.  The  retreat  of  the  Ameri 
cans,  which  soon  became  general,  was  continued 
that  night  to  Chester,  and  the  next  day  to  Philadel 
phia.  The  loss  sustained  by  the  Americans  in  this 
action,  is  estimated  at  three  hundred  killed  and  six 
hundred  wounded.  Between  three  and  four  hun 
dred,  principally  the  wounded,  were  made  prison 
ers.  The  loss  of  the  British  was  stated  to  be  rath 
er  less  than  one  hundred  killed,  and  four  hundred 
wounded. — Holmes'  Jlnnals. 
11* 


Among1  the  wounded  were  two  general  officers;  the  Mar 
quis  de  La  Fayette,  and  General  Woodford.  The  first  of 
these  was  a  French  nobleman,  who  at  the  age  of  19  years 
only,  left  France  and  offered  his  services  to  Congress,  which 
gave  him  the  rank  of  Major  General  in  their  army.  Count 
Pulaski,  a  Polish  nobleman,  fought  also  with  the  Americans ,, 
in  this  battle.— Ib. 


(67.)  Battle  of   Germantown,    and   the    Attack  on 
Red  Bank. 

After  General  Howe  had  taken  possession  of  Phil 
adelphia,  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  take  the 
forts  on  the  Delaware,  in  order  to  open  a  commu 
nication  with  the  Atlantic.  Accordingly,  a  part  o£ 
the  royal  army  were  detached  for  that  purpose. 
Gen.  Washington  seized  this  opportunity  to  attack 
the  remainder,  at  Germantowii.  On  the  morning 
of  the  4th  of  October,  Washington  attacked  the 
enemy  with  such  judgment  and  fury,  that  they  gave 
way  in  every  quarter.  u  The  tumult,  disorder,  and 
despair  in  tfie  British  army,"  says  Washington, 
u  were  unparalleled^  But  unfortunately,  an  un 
common  thick  fog,  occasioned  many  mistakes  in  the 
American  army;  and  after  a  severe  action,  they 
were  obliged  to  retreat,  with  the  loss  of  about  1000 
men  in  killed  and  wounded  ;  among  them  was  Gen. 
Nash,  and  his  aid,  Major  Wkherspoon.  The  Brit 
ish  lost  upwards  of  500  men,  with  Gen.  Agnew  and 
Col.  Bird. 

The  detachment  of  the  British  army,  sent  to  at 
tack  the  fort  at  Red  Bank,  on  the  Jersey  shore, 
was  commanded  by  Count  Donop,  a  brave  and 
high  spirited  German  officer.  The  fort  was  defend 
ed  by  about  400  men,  under  Col.  Green.  Count 
Donop,  with  undaunted  firmness,  led  on  his  men  to. 
an  assault.  After  a  few  well  directed  fires,  Green 


123 

and  his  men  artfully  retired  from  the  ouhvorfis* 
The  enemy  now  supposing  the  day  their  own,  rush 
ed  forward  in  great  numbers,,  along  a  large  opening 
in  the  fort,  and  within  twenty  paces  of  a  masked 
battery,  of  eighteen  pounders,  loaded  with  grape 
shot  and  spike  nails.  Immediately  the  garrison 
opened  a  tremendous  fire  upon  their  assailants,, 
which  swept  them  down  in  great  numbers.  Count 
Donop  was  mortally  wounded  and  taken  prisoner 
In  this  expedition,  the  enemy  are  supposed  to  have 
lost  about  400  men. 


(68.)  Murder  of  Miss  McCrea. 

Previous  to  the  American  revolution,  there  resi 
ded  near  fort  Edward,  an  accomplished  young  man, 
named  Jones,  and  a  young  lady  by  the  name  of 
McCrea,  between  whom  a  strong  attachment  sub 
sisted.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of  war,  Mr.  Jones, 
who  favored  the  royalists,  fled  into  Canada. 
Thence  he  accompanied  the  expedition  of  Bur- 
goyne  into  the  States.  When  the  British  army 
were  within  about  three  miles  of  fort  Edward,  Mr. 
Jones  found  means  secretly  to  inform  Miss  Mc 
Crea  of  his  approach  ;  he  entreated  her  not  to  leave 
the  place,  and  informed  her,  that  as  soon  as  the  fort 
had  surrendered,  he  would  seek  an  asylum  where 
they  might  peacefully  consummate  the  nuptial  cere 
mony.  Confiding  in  her  lover,  Miss  McCrea  hero 
ically  refused  to  follow  the  flying  villagers.  The 
tears  and  intreaties  of  her  parents  and  friends  avail 
ed  nothing.  Mr.  Jones,  anxious  to  possess  his  in 
tended  bride,  despatched  a  party  of  Indians  to  con 
vey  her  to  the  British  army,  and  offered  to  reward 
them  for  their  service  with  a  barrel  of  rum.  The 


124 

Indians  brought  a  letter  from  her  lover,  and  als© 
his  horse  to  convey  Miss  McCrea  ;  she  scrupled 
riot  to  place  herself  under  their  protection,  and  ac 
cordingly  set  out  for  the  British  camp.  When 
about  half  way,  a  second  party  of  Indians  hearing 
of  the  captivating  offer  made  by  Mr.  Jones,  deter 
mined  to  avail  themselves  of  the  reward.  A  bloody 
strife  ensued,  in  which  some  Indians  were  killed, 
when  the  chief  of  the  first  party,  to  decide  the  con 
test,  with  his  tomahawk  knocked  the  lady  from  her 
horse,  tore  off  her  scalp,  and  bore  it  as  a  trophy 
to  her  anxious  and  expectant  lover !  This  atrocious 
and  cruel  murder,  roused  the  American  people,  and 
produced  one  general  burst  of  horror  and  indigna 
tion  throughout  the  States,  against  the  British  and 
their  savage  allies,  and  probably  hastened  the 
downfall  of  Burgoyne. 


(69.)  Battle  of  Bennington  and  Capture  of  Burgoyne. 

In  the  spring  of  1777,  it  was  determined  in  Eng 
land  that  an  invasion  of  the  States  should  be  at 
tempted  from  the  north,  and  a  communication  form 
ed  between  Canada  and  the  city  of  New-York,  and 
thus  cut  off  the  communication  between  the  New 
England  and  more  southern  States. 

u  The  troops  destined  for  this  service  were  up 
wards  of  seven  thousand  ;  with  a  train  of  artillery, 
the  finest,  and  the  most  efficiently  supplied,  that  had 
ever  been  assigned  to  second  the  operations  of  an 
equal  force.  Arms  and  accoutrements  were  provi 
ded  for  the  Canadians,  and  several  nations  of  In 
dians  induced  to  take  up  the  hatchet  under  the  royal 
banners.  The  command  was  given  to  General  Bur 
goyne  ;  an  officer  whose  abilities  were  well  known^ 


225 

and  whose  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  thirst  of  military 
fame,  could  not  be  exceeded.  The  British  had  the 
exclusive  navigation  of  Lake  Champlain.  Their 
marine  force  on  that  inland  sea,  with  which,  in  the 
preceding  campaign,  they  had  destroyed  the  Ameri 
can  flotilla,  was  not  only  entire,  but  unopposed. 

"  Having  gained  possession  of  Ticonderoga,  as 
well  as  of  the  other  defences  which  had  served  to 
prevent  or  to  impede  the  advance  of  an  enemy  into 
the  United  States  on  the  side  of  Canada,  and  with  a 
degree  of  alacrity  and  perseverance  not  to  be  excel 
led,  they  reached  Fort  Edward,  on  the  Hudson,  Bur- 
goyne  proceeded,  in  the  beginning  of  August,  to 
force  his  passage  down  towards  Albany.  In  the 
meantime,  every  obstruction  had  been  thrown  in  his 
way,  by  Schuyler,  Arnold,  St.  Clair,  and  other  vi 
gilant  commanders  ;  who,  at  this  period,  owing  to 
the  evacuation  of  the  northern  forts,  and  the  exer 
tions  of  the  leading  patriots  in  New-York  and  the 
contiguous  provinces,  had  in  that  quarter  an  army 
of  thirteen  thousand  men. 

"  In  his  advance  to  Albany,  Burgoyne  formed  a 
plan  to  draw  resources  from  the  farms  of  Vermont, 
For  this  purpose,  he  detached  five  hundred  Hessians 
and  one  hundred  Indians,  with  two  field-pieces, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Baum  ;  a  force 
deemed  sufficient  to  seize  a  magazine  of  provisions 
collected  by  the  Americans  at  Bennington.  But  he 
proceeded  with  less  caution  than  his  perilous  situa 
tion  required.  On  the  16th  of  August,  Colonel 
Starke  attacked  him,  near  that  place,  with  about 
eight  hundred  New-Hampshire  militia, — undisci 
plined,  without  bayonets,  or  a  single  piece  of  artil 
lery;  killed  or  capiured  the  greater  part  of  his  de 
tachment,  and  got  possession  of  his  cannon.  This 
"was  a  brilliant  service.  Another  achievement, 


126 

scarcely  less  conspicuous,  immediately  succeeded* 
Colonel  Breyman,  who  had  been  sent  by  General 
Burgoyne  to  support  that  party,  arrived  on  the  same 
ground,  and  on  the  same  day,  not,  however,  until 
the  action  was  decided.  Instead  of  meeting  his 
friends,  he  found  himself  vigorously  assailed.  This 
attack  was  made  by  Colonel  Warner;  who,  with  his 
continental  regiment,  had  come  up,  also  to  support 
his  friends,  and  was  well  assisted  by  Starke's  militia, 
which  had  just  defeated  the  party  of  Colonel  Baum. 
Brey man's  troops,  though  fatigued  with  the  prece 
ding  march,  behaved  with  great  resolution  ;  but 
were  at  length  obliged  to  abandon  their  artillery,  and 
retreat.  In  these  two  actions,  the  Americans  took 
four  brass  field-pieces,  four  ammunition  wagons,  and 
seven  hundred  prisoners* 

"  The  overthrow  of  these  detachments  was  the 
first,  in  a  grand  series  of  events,  that  finally  involved 
in  ruin  the  whole  royal  army.  It  deranged  every 
plan  for  continuing,  or  even  holding,  the  advantages 
previously  obtained  ;  inspired  the  Americans  with 
.,  confidence,  animated  their  exertions,  and  filled  them 
with  justly-formed  expectations  of  future  victory, 

"  After  the  evacuation  of  Ticonderoga,  the  Ame 
ricans  had  fallen  back,  from  one  place  to  another, 
until  they  at  last  rested  at  Vanshaick's  island.  Soon 
after  this  retreating  system  was  adopted,  Congress 
removed  their  commanding  officers,  and  placed 
General  Gates  at  the  head  of  the  northern  army. 
His  arrival,  on  the  19th  of  August,  gave  fresh  vigor 
to  the  inhabitants.  Encouraged  by  a  hope  of  cap 
turing  the  whole  British  forces,  a  spirit  of  adventure 
burst  forth  from  every  quarter,  and  was  carried  into 
various  directions.  An  enterprise  was  undertaken 
by  General  Lincoln,  to  recover  Ticonderoga  arid  the 
other  posts  in  the  rear  of  the  British  army  5  and. 


127 

though  the  first  object  was  not  accomplished,  yet 
with  so  much  address  did  Colonel  Brown,  who  was 
despatched  to  the  landing  at  LakeGeorge,  proceed, 
that,  with  five  hundred  men,  he  not  only  surprised 
all  the  out-posts  between  the  landing  at  the  north 
end  of  the  lake  and  the  body  of  that  fortress  ;  took 
Mount  Defiance  and  Mount  Hope,  the  old  French 
lines,  and  a  block-house  ;  also  two  hundred  bat- 
teaux,  several  gun  boats,  besides  two  hundred  and 
ninety  prisoners  ;  but  at  the  same  time,  released 
one  hundred  Americans, 

"  Burgoyne,  after  crossing  the  Hudson,  advanced 
along  its  banks,  and  encamped  about  two  miles  from 
General  Gates,  a  short  distance  above  Still-Water, 
The  Americans  thought  no  more  of  retreating ;  and, 
@n  the  19th  of  September,  engaged  him  with  firm 
ness  and  resolution,  The  conflict,  though  severe, 
was  only  partial,  for  the  first  hour  and  a  half;  but, 
after  a  short  pause,  it  became  general,  and  continu 
ed  for  three  hours  without  intermission.  A  constant 
blaze  of  fire  streamed  forth,  and  both  sides  seemed 
determined  on  victory  or  death.  The  Americans 
and  British  were  alternately  driven  by  each  other, 
until  night  ended  the  effusion  of  blood.  The  enemy 
lost  five  hundred  men,  including  killed,  wounded, 
and  prisoners  ;  the  Americans,  three  hundred. 

"  Every  moment  made  the  situation  of  the  British 
army  more  critical.  Their  provisions  were  lessen 
ing,  their  Indian  and  provincial  allies  deserting; 
whilst  the  animation  and  numbers  of  the  Americans 
increased.  From  the  uncertainty  of  receiving  fur 
ther  supplies,  Burgoyne  curtailed  the  soldiers'  ra 
tions.  His  opponents  pressed  him  on  every  side. 
Much  hard  fighting  ensued.  The  British  were  again 
defeated.  One  of  Burgoyne's  Generals,  together 
with  his  aid-de-qamp,  was  killed,  and  he  himself 


128 

narrowly  escaped  ;  as  a  ball  passed  through  his  hat, 
and  another  through  his  waistcoat.  The  American 
Generals  Arnold  and  Lincoln  were  wounded.  To 
avoid  being  surrounded,  General  Burgoyne  left  his 
hospital  to  the  humanity  of  Gates,  and  retreated  to 
Saratoga.  He  was  still  followed,  and  harassed ; 
driven  on  one  side  and  straitened  on  another.  The 
situation  of  his  army  was  truly  distressing  :  aban 
doned  by  their  allies,  unsupported  by  their  fellow- 
soldiers  in  New- York,  worn  down  by  a  series  of  in 
cessant  efforts,  and  greatly  reduced  in  number ; 
without  a  possibility  of  retreat,  or  of  replenishing 
their  exhausted  stock  of  provisions  :  a  continual 
cannonade  pervaded  their  camp,  and  grape-shot  fell 
in  many  parts  of  their  lines. 

"  The  12th  of  October  arrived  ;  the  day  until 
which  hope  had  bidden  the  afflicted  General  wait  for 
the  promised  assistance  from  New-York.  But  ex 
pectation  vanished  with  the  departing  sun.  He 
took  an  account  of  his  provisions.  There  was  only 
a  scanty  subsistence  for  three  days.  A  council  of 
war  declared  that  their  present  situation  justified  a 
capitulation  on  honorable  terms  ;  and  a  negotia 
tion  was  commenced.  After  various  messages  pass 
ed  between  the  hostile  armies,  it  was  stipulated, 
that,  on  the  17th,  the  British  were  to  march  out  of 
their  camp  with  the  customary  honors  of  war  ;  the 
arms  to  be  piled  by  word  of  command  from  their 
own  officers  ;  and  an  undisturbed  passage  allowed 
them  to  Great  Britain,  on  condition  of  their  not 
serving  again  in  North  America  during  the  war. 

"  By  this  convention,  were  surrendered  five  thou 
sand  seven  hundred  and  ninety,  of  all  ranks  ;  which 
number,  added  to  the  killed,  wounded,  and  prison 
ers,  lost  by  the  royal  army  during  the  preceding 
part  of  the  expedition,  made,  altogether,  upwards  oi" 


J3atfl<°    at 


129 

ten  thousand  men ;  an  advantage  rendered  still  more 
important  to  the  captors,  by  the  acquisition  of  thirty- 
five  brass  field-pieces,  and  nearly  five  thousand 
muskets.  The  regular  troops  in  General  Gates's 
army  were  nine  thousand;  the  militia,  four  thousand: 
but,  of  the  former,  two  thousand  were  sick  or  on 
furlough  ;  and  of  the  latter,  five  hundred. 

"  The  celebrated  Polish  patrioc,  Kosciuski,  was 
chief  engineer  in  the  army  of  General  Gates. 

"  On  learning  the  fate  of  Burgoyne,  the  British  on 
the  North  river  retired  to  New  York.  Those  who 
had  been  left  in  his  rear  destroyed  their  cannon, 
and,  abandoning  Ticonderoga,  retreated  to  Canada  ; 
so  that  this  whole  country,  after  experiencing  for 
several  months  the  devastations  of  war,  was  now 
restored  to  perfect  tranquility. 

Grimshaw^s  Hist.  U.  S, 


(70.)   Treaty  with  France. 

On  the  16th  of  March,  1778,  Lord  North  intima 
ted  to  the  House  of  Commons,  that  a  paper  had  been 
laid  before  the  King  by  the  French  ambassador,  in 
timating  the  conclusion  of  an  alliance  between  the 
court  of  France  arid  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  preliminaries  of  this  treaty  had  been  concluded 
in  the  end  of  the  year  (777,  and  a  copy  of  them 
sent  to  Congress,  in  order  to  counteract  any  pro 
posals  that  might  be  made  in  the  mean  .time  by  the 
British  ministry.  On  the  6th  of  February,  1 778,  the 
articles  were  formally  signed,  to  the  great  satisfac 
tion  of  the  French  nation.  They  were  in  substance 
as  follows  : 

•1.  If  Great  Britain  should,  in  consequence  of  this 
12 


330 

treaty,  proceed  to  hostilities  against  France,  the  tws 
nations  should  mutually  assist  one  another. 

2.  The  main  end  of  the  treaty  was,  in  an  effectual 
manner  to  maintain  the  Independence  of  America. 

3.  Should  those  places  of  North-America  still  sub 
ject  to  Britain,  be  reduced  by  the  States,  they  should 
be  confederated  with  them,  or  subjected  to  their  ju 
risdiction. 

4.  Should  any  of  the  West-India  Islands  be  redu 
ced  by  France,  they  should  be  deemed  its  property. 

5.  No  formal  treaty  with  Great  Britain  should  be 
concluded,  either  by  France  or  America,  without  the 
consent  of  each  other  ;  and  it  was  mutually  agreed, 
that  they  should  not  lay  down  their  arms  till  the  In 
dependence  of  the  States  had  been  formally  acknow* 
ledged. 

6.  The  contracting  parties  mutually  agreed,  to 
invite  those  powers  that  had  received  injuries  from 
Great  Britain,  to  join  in  the  common  cause. 

7.  The  United  States  guaranteed  to  France  all 
the  possessions  in  the  West-Indies  wrhich  she  should 
conquer ;  and  France,  in  her  turn,  guaranteed  the 
absolute  Independence  of  the  States,  and  their  su 
preme  authority  over  every  country  they  possessed, 
®r  might  acquire  during  the  war.* 

This  treaty  was  signed,  on  the  part  of  France,  by 
M.  Gerard  ;  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  by 
Benjamin  Franklin,  Silas  Deane,  and  Arthur  Lee. 
On  the  20th  of  March,  the  American  commissioners 
were  received  at  the  court  of  France,  as  the  repre 
sentatives  of  a  sister  nation  ;  an  event  which  was 
considered  in  Europe  at  that  time,  as  the  most  im 
portant  which  had  occurred  in  the  annals  of  America, 
since  its  first  discovery  by  Columbus. 

*  Williams'  Revolution. 


131 

(71.)  Battle  of  Monmouth  or  Freehold. 

At  the  opening  of  the  campaign  in  1778,  General 
Howe  wont  to  England,  and  left  the  command  to  Sir 
Henry  Clinton.  In  June  the  British  army  left  Phil 
adelphia,  and  marched  towards  Staten  Island.  In 
their  march  they  were  annoyed  by  the  Americans, 
and  on  the  28th  of  June,  a  division  of  the  army,  under 
General  Lee,  was  ordered, if  possible,  to  bring  them 
to  an  engagement.  The  order  was  riot  obeyed — 
General  Washington  arrived, and  riding  up  to  Gene 
ral  Lee,  addressed  him  in  terms  that  implied  cen 
sure.  General  Lee  answered  with  warmth  and  dis 
respectful  language.  General  Washington  led  the 
troops  in  person,  and  a  smart  action  took  place,  in 
which  both  parties  claimed  the  victory,  but  the  ad 
vantage  was  clearly  on  the  side  of  the  Americans. 
The  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  amounted  to  three 
or  four  hundred,  on  each  side  ;  but  the  British  left 
the  field  of  battle  in  the  night  and  pursued  their  re 
treat.  This  battle  happened  at  Freehold,  in  Mon 
mouth  county,  during  a  period  of  extreme  heat,  the 
mercury  being  above  ninety  degrees  by  Fahrenheit's 
scale.  Many  of  the  soldiers  died  on  the  spot,  by 
heat,  fatigue,  or  drinking  cold  water.  General  Lee 
was  tried  by  a  court  martial  for  disobedience,  and 
his  command  suspended  for  one  year. 

Webster^s  Elements  of  U.  Knowledge. 


(79.)   Taking  of  Savannah  and  Charleston. 

In  1778,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Campbell, an  officer 
©f  courage  and  ability,  embarked  on  the  tuenty- 
seventh  of  November  from  New-York  for  Savan 
nah,  with  about  two  thousand  men,  under  the  con- 


132 

voy  of  some  ships  of  war,  commanded  by  Commodore 
Hyde  Parker ;  and  in  about  three  weeks  landed  near 
the  mouth  of  Savannah  river.  From  the  landing 
place,  a  narrow  causeway  of  six  hundred  yards  in 
length,  with  a  ditch  on  each  side,  led  through  a 
swamp.  At  this  causeway  a  small  party  was  posted, 
under  Captain  Smith,  to  impede  the  passage  of  the 
British  ;  but  it  was  almost  instantly  dispersed. 
General  Howe,  the  American  officer,  to  whom  the 
defence  of  Georgia  was  committed,  had  taken  his 
station  on  the  main  road,  and  posted  his  little  army, 
consisting  of  about  six  hundred  continentals  and  a 
few  hundred  militia,  between  the  landing  place  and 
the  town  of  Savannah,  with  the  river  on  his  left,  and 
a  morass  in  front.  SVhile  Colonel  Campbell  was 
making  arrangements  to  dislodge  his  adversaries,  he 
received  intelligence  from  a  negro,  of  a  private  path, 
on  the  right  of  the  Americans,  through  which  his 
troops  might  march  unobserved  ;  and  Sir  James 
Baird,  with  the  light  infantry,  was  directed  to  avail 
himself  of  this  path,  in  order  to  turn  their  right  wing, 
and  attack  their  rear.  As  soon  as  it  was  judged  that 
he  had  cleared  his  passage,  the  British,  in  front  of 
the  Americans,  were  directed  to  advance  and  en 
gage.  General  Howe,  finding  himself  attacked  both 
in  front  and  rear,  ordered  an  immediate  retreat. 
The  British  pursued,  and  their  victory  was  entire. 
Upwards  of  one  hundred  of  the  Americans  were  kill 
ed  ;  and  thirty-eight  officers,  four  hundred  and  fif 
teen  privates,  the  town  and  fort  of  Savannah,  forty- 
eight  pieces  of  cannon,  twenty-three  mortars,  the 
fort  with  its  ammunition  and  stores,  the  shipping  in 
the  river,  and  a  large  quantity  of  provisions,  were  in 
a  few  hours  in  possession  of  the  conquerors.  The 
whole  loss  of  the  British,  during  the  day,  amounted 
to  no  more  than  seven  killed  and  nineteen  wounded. 
Holmes''  American  Anna  Is. 


133 

Sir  Henry  Clinton,  finding  it  more  easy  to  make 
an  impression  on  the  southern  States,  which  were 
less  populous  than  the  northern,  and  being  a  level 
country,  rendered  the  transportation  of  artillery  less 
difficult,  determined  to  make  them  the  seat  of  war. 
Agreeable  to  this  resolution,  he  sailed  from  New- 
York,  with  a  large  force,  in  the  severe  winter  of 
1779 — 80  ;  and  after  a  tempestuous  passage,  in 
which  he  lost  some  of  his  transports,  arrived  at  Sa 
vannah  the  latter  part  of  January.  From  Savannah 
the  army  proceeded  to  Charleston,  and  in  April  laid 
siege  to  that  city.  The  enemy  made  regular  ap 
proaches,  and  finally  being  prepared  to  storm  the 
town,  General  Lincoln  was  compelled  to  capitulate. 
About  two  thousand  five  hundred  men,  besides  the 
militia  and  inhabitants,  became  prisoners,  and  all 
the  cannon  and  military  stores.  Ttys  happened  on 
the  12th  o  May,  1780.  General  Clinton  left  Lord 
Cornwallis  to  command  the  troops  in  the  southern 
army,  and  returned  to  New-York.  Great  numbers 
of  the  people  in  South-Carolina,  being  left  defence 
less,  returned  to  their  allegiance,  and  the  British 
commander  represented  the  state  as  subdued. 

Webster' ]s  Elements  of  U.  Knowledge. 


(73.)  Paul  Jones'  Naval  Battle. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1778,  occurred  on  the 
coast  of  Scotland,  "  that  unexampled  sea-fight,  which 
gave  to  the  name  of  Paul  Jones  such  terrific  eclat. 
This  man  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  but  engaged  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States.  His  flotilla  was 
composed  of  the  Bon-homme  Richard,  of  forty  guns, 
the  Alliance,  of  thirty-six,  (both  American  ships,) 
the  Pallas,  a  French  frigate  of  thirty-two,  in  the  pay 
12* 


134 

of  Congress,  and  two  other  smaller  vessels.  He 
fell  in  with  a  British  merchant 'fleet,  on  its  return 
from  the  Baltic,  convoyed  by  Captain  Pearson,  with 
the  frigate  Sera  pis,  of  forty-four  guns,  and  the 
Countess  of  Scarborough,  of  twenty* 

Pearson  had  no  sooner  perceived  Jones,  than  he 
bore  down  to  engage  him,  while  the  merchantmen 
endeavored  to  gain  the  coast.     The  American  flo 
tilla    formed    to   receive    him.     The    two   enemies 
joined   battle  about   seven    in    the    evening.     The 
British  having  the  advantage  of  cannon  of  a  longer 
reach,  Paul  Jones  resolved  to  fight  them  closer.    He 
brought  up  his  ships,  until  the  muzzles  of  his  guns 
came  in  contact  with  those  of  his  enemy.     Here  the 
phrenzied  combatants   fought  from  seven  till  ten. 
Paul  Jones  now  found  that  his  vessel  was  so  shat 
tered,    that   only    three    effective    gu-ns    remained., 
Trusting  no  longer  to  these,  he  assailed  his  enemy 
with  grenades  ;  which,  fulling  into  the  Serapis,  se't 
her  on  fire  in  several  places.     At  length  her  maga 
zine  blew  up  and  killed  all  near  it.     Pearson,  enra 
ged  at  his  officers,   who  wished  him  to  surrender, 
commanded    them   to    board.     Paul  Jones  at   the 
head  of  his  crew,  received  them  at  the  point  of  the- 
pike  ;  and  they  retreated.     But  the  flames  of  the 
Serapis  had  communicated   to  her  enemy,  and  the 
vessel  of  Jones  was  on  fire.     Amidst  this  tremen 
dous   night-scene,    the   American   frigate   Alliance 
came  up,  and  mistaking  her  partner  for  her  enemy, 
fired  a  broad-side  into  the  vessel  of  Jones.     By  the 
broad  glare  of  the  burning  ships  she  discovered  her 
mistake,  and  turned  her  guns  against  her  exhausted 
foe.     Pearson's  crew  were  killed  or  wounded,  his 
artillery  dismounted,  and  his  vessel  on  fire  ;  and  he 
could  no  longer  resist.     The  flames  of  the  Serapis 
Tvere  however  arrested  :  but  the  leaks  of  the  Good- 


135 

man  Richard  could  not  be  stopped,  and  the  hulk 
went  down  soon  after  the  mangled  remains  of  the 
crew  had  been  removed.  Of  the  375  who  were  on 
board  that  renowned  vessel,  only  sixty-eight  left  it 
alive.  The  Pallas  had  captured  the  Countess  of 
Scarborough  ;  and  Jones,  after  this  horrible  victory, 
wandered  with  his  shattered,  unmanageable  vessels 
for  some  time  ;  and  at  length,  on  the  6th  of  October, 
had  the  good  fortune  to  find  his  way  to  the  waters 
of  the  TexelS>+-ffillard*s  Hist.  U.  States. 


(74.)  Gen.  Putnam's  Escape  at  Horseneck. 

About  the  middle  of  the  winter  of  1778,  General 
Putnam,  -\  bold  and  veteran  officer,  was  on  a  visit  to 
his  outpost  at  Horseneck,  where  he  found  Tryon^ 
the  British  Governor,  advancing  upon  thai  place  with, 
a  corps  of  fifteen  hundred  men.  To  oppose  this 
force  General  Putnam  had  only  a  force  of  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  men,  with  two  iron  field  pieces,  with 
out  horses  or  drag-ropes.  Having  planted  his  can 
non  on  an  eminence,  he  fired  until  the  enemy's  horse 
(supported  by  infantry)  were  about  to  charge  ;  he 
then  ordered  his  men  to  shelter  themselves  in  a 
neighboring  swamp  inaccessible  to  the  enemy's 
cavalry — and  putting  spurs  to  his  horse,  he  plunged 
down  a  precipice  so  steep  that  about  one  hundred 
stone  steps  or  stairs  had  been  constructed  for  the 
accommodation  of  foot  passengers.  The  British 
dragoons,  who  were  but  a  sword's  length  from  him, 
not  daring  to  follow,  stopped,  and,  before  they  could 
gain  the  valley,  Putnam  was  far  beyond  their  reach, 

Genu  Putnam  was  much  distinguished,  both  in  the  French 
and  Revolutionary  wars,  for  his  bravery  and  a  spirit  of  daring 
Enterprise.  He  also  rendered  himself  famous  by  a  noted  ex 


136 

jjloit  in  a  wolf's  den.  When  he  removed  to  Pomfret,  €ori. 
that  part  of  the  country  was  much  infested  with  wolves.  In 
liis  immediate  vicinity  a  she-wolf  committed  considerable  de 
predations  for  several  years.  After  many  unsuccessful  at 
tempts  were  made  to  destroy  this  ferocious  animal,  Putnam 
and  his  neighbors  tracked  her  to  her  den,  and  endeavored 
b?  fire  and  smoke,  dogs,  &c.  to  expel  her  from  her  habitation. 
These  means  proving  ineffectual,  Putnam  at  length  carne  to 
the  hazardous  resolution  of  attacking  the  wolf  in  her  den. 
With  a  torch  in  one  hand  and  his  gun  in  the  other,  he  crawl 
ed  a  considerable  distance  into  a  subterraneous  cavity,  and 
discovered  the  wolf  by  the  glare  of  her  eye-balls,  evidently  at 
the  point  of  springing  at  him.  Putnam  fired  :  upon  this  he 
was  drawn  out  of  the  cave  by  his  neighbors,  by  means  of  a 
rope  he  had  attached  to  one  of  his  legs  Putnam  again  de 
scended,  and  finding  the  wolf  dead,  took  hold  of  her  ears,  and 
the  people  above,  with  much  exultation,  dragged  them  out 
together. 


(75.)  Storming  of  Stoney  Point. 

The  reduction  of  this  place,  July  15,  1779,  was 
one  of  the  most  bold  enterprises  which  occurred  in 
the  Revolutionary  war.  (Stoney  point  is  40  miles 
north  of  New- York,  on  the  Hudson.) 

"  At  this  time  Stoney  Point  was  in  the  condition 
©f  a  real  fortress  ;  it  was  furnished  with  a  select  gar 
rison  of  more  than  60Q  men,  and  had  stores  in 
abundance,  and  defensive  preparations  which  were 
formidable.  Fortified  as  it  was,  Gen.  Washington 
ventured  an  attempt  to  reduce  it.  The  enterprise 
•was  committed  to  Gen.  Wayne,  who,  with  a  strong 
detachment  of  active  infantry,  set  out  towards  the 
place  at  noon.  His  march  of  fourteen  miles  over 
high  mountains,  through  deep  morasses,  and  difficult 
defiles,  was  accomplished  by  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening. 

At  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  the  point,.  Gen, 


137 

Wayne  halted  and  formed  his  men  into  two  col 
umns,  putting  himself  at  the  head  of  the  right. 
Both  columns  were  directed  to  march  in  order  and 
silence,  with  unloaded  muskets  arid  fixed  bayonets* 
At  midnight  they  arrived  under  the  walls  of  the 
fort."* 

"  An  unexpected  obstacle  now  presented  itself: 
the  deep  morass  which  covered  the  works,  was  at 
this  time  overflowed  by  the  tide.  The  English 
opened  a  tremendous  fire  of  musketry  and  of  cannon 
loaded  with  grape  shot :  but  neither  the  inundated 
znoross,  nor  a  double  palisade,  nor  the  storm  of  fire 
that  poured  upon  them,  could  arrest  the  impetuosity 
of  the  Americans  ;  they  opened  their  way  with  the 
bayonet,  prostrated  whatever  opposed  them,  scaled 
the  fort,  and  the  two  columns  met  in  the  centre  of 
the  works.  The  English  lost  upwards  of  600  men 
in  killed  and  prisoners.  The  conquerors  abstained 
from  pillage,  and  from  all  disorder  ;  a  conduct  the 
more  worthy  as  they  had  still  present  in  mind,  the 
ravages  and  butcheries  which  their  enemies  had  so 
recently  committed,  in  Virginia  and  Connecticut. 
Humanity  imparted  new  effulgence  to  the  victory 
which  valor  had  attained."! 


(76.)  Battle  of  Camden. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  1730,  Earl  Cornwallis. 
who  commanded  the  British  troops,  obtained  a  sig 
nal  victory  over  the  vVmericans  under  Gen.  Gates, 
at  Camden.  "  The  action  began  at  break  of  day, 
in  a  situation  very  advantageous  for  the  British 
troops,  but  very  unfavorable  to  the  Americans. 

*  Goodrich's  United  States.  f  Botta's  Revolution. 


138 

latter  were  much  more  numerous  ;  but  the 
ground  on  which  both  armies  stood  was  narrowred 
by  swamps  on  the  right  and  left,  so  that  the  Ameri 
cans  could  not  avail  themselves  properly  of  their 
superior  numbers. 

There  seems  to  have  been  some  want  of  general 
ship  on  the  part  of  Gates,  in  suffering  himself  to  be 
surprized  in  so  disadvantageous  a  position.  But 
this  circumstance  was  the  effect  of  accident  ;  for 
both  armies  set  out  with  a  design  of  attacking  each 
other,  precisely  at  the  same  time,  at  ten  o'clock  the 
preceding  evening,  and  met  together  before  day 
light,  at  the  place  where  the  action  happened. 

The  attack  was  made  by  the  British  troops,  with 
great  vigor,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  action  was 
general  along  the  whole  line.  It  \vas  at  this  time  a 
dead  calm,  with  a  little  haziness  in  the  air,  which 
prevented  the  smoke  from  rising,  and  occasion'  d  so 
thick  a  darkness  that  it  was  difficult  to  see  the  effect 
of  a  heavy  and  well-supported  tire  on  both  sides. 
The  British  troops  either  kept  up  a  constant  fire,  or 
made  use  of  bayonets,  as  opportunities  offered  ;  and 
after  an  obstinate  resistance  of  three  quarters  of  an 
hour,  threw  the  Americans  into  total  confusion,  and 
forced  them  to  give  way  in  all  quarters. 

The  continental  troops  behaved  remarkably  well, 
but  tho  militia  were  soon  broken,  leaving  the  former 
to  oppose  the  whole  force  of  the  British  troops. 
Gen.  Gates  drl  nil  in  his  power  to  rally  the  militia, 
but  without  effect  :  the  continentals  retreated  in 
some  order  ;  but  'he  rout  of  the  militia  was  so  great, 
that  the  British  cavalry  continued  the  pursuit  of 
them  to  the  distance  of  twenty-two  miles  from  the 
place  of  action. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  on  this  occasion,  was 
very  considerable  ;  about  one  thousand  prisoners 


139 

were  taken,  and  more  than  that  number  were  said 
to  have  been  killed  and  wounded,  although  the 
number  was  not  %^ry  accurately  ascertained. 
Seven  pieces  of  brass  cannon,  various  stands  of 
colors,  and  all  the  ammunition  waggons  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Among 
the  prisoners  taken,  was  Major-General  the  Baron 
de  Kalb,  a  Prussian  officer  in  the  American  service, 
who  was  mortally  wounded,  after  exhibiting  great 
gallantry  in  the  course  of  the  action,  having  received 
eleven  wounds.  Of  the  British  troops,  the  number 
of  killed  and  wounded  amounted  to  two  hundred 
and  thirteen." — Williams'  Hist.  Revolution. 


(77.)  Murder  of  Mrs.  and  Mr.  Caldwell. 

In  the  summer  of  1780,  the  British  troops  made 
frequent  incursions  into  New  Jersey,  ravaging  and 
plundering  the  country,  and  committing  numerous 
atrocities  upon  its  inhabitants. — In  June,  a  large 
body  of  the  enemy,  commanded  by  Gen.  Kniphau- 
sen,  landed  at  Elizabethtown  Point,  and  proceeded 
into  the  country.  They  were  much  harrassed  in 
their  progress  by  Col.  Dayton,  and  the  troops  under 
his  command.  When  they  arrived  at  Connecticut 
Farms,  according  to  their  usual  but  sacrilegious  cus 
tom,  they  burnt  the  Presbyterian  church,  parsonage 
house,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the  village. 
But  the  most  cruel  and  wanton  act  that  was  perpe 
trated  during  this  incursion,  was  the  murder  of  Mrs, 
Caldwell,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Caldwell  of 
Elizabethtown. 

This  amiable  woman,  seeing  the  enemy  advan^ 
.cing,  retired  with  her  house  keeper,  a  child  of  three 
y<ears  old,  an  infant  of  eight  months,  and  a  little 


14Q 

maid,  to  a  room  secured  on  all  sides  by  stone  walls, 
except  at  a  window  opposite  the  enemy.  She  pru 
dently  took  this  precaution  toavoid  the  danger  of 
transient  shot,  should  the  ground  be  disputed  near 
that  place,  which  happened  not  to  be  the  case  ;  nei 
ther  was  there  any  firing  from  either  party  near  the 
house,  until  the  fatal  moment,  when  Mrs.  Caldwell, 
unsuspicious  of  any  immediate  danger,  sitting  on 
the  bed  with  her  little  child  by  the  hand,  and  her 
nurse,  with  her  infant  babe  by  her  side,  was  instant 
ly  shot  dead  by  an  unfeeling  British  soldier,  who 
had  come  round  to  the  unguarded  part  of  the  house, 
with  an  evident  design  to  perpetrate  the  horrid  deed. 
Many  circumstances  attending  this  inhuman  murder, 
evince,  not  only  that  it  was  committed  by  the  enemy 
with  design,  but  also,  that  it  was  by  the  permission, 
if  not  by  the  command,  of  Gen.  Kniphausen,  in  or 
der  to  intimidate  the  populace  to  relinquish  their 
cause.  A  circumstance  which  aggravated  this 
piece  of  cruelty,  was,  that  when  the  British  officers 
were  made  acquainted  with  the  murder,  they  did 
not  interfere  to  prevent  the  corpse  from  being  strip 
ped  and  burnt,  but  left  it  half  the  day,  stripped  in 
part,  to  be  tumbled  about  by  the  rude  soldiery  ;  and 
at  last  it  was  removed  from  the  house,  before  it 
was  burned,  by  the  aid  of  those  who  were  not  of 
the  army. 

Mrs.  Caldwell  was  an  amiable  woman,  of  a  sweet 
and  even  temper,  discreet,  prudent,  benevolent,  soft 
and  engaging  in  her  manners,  and  beloved  by  all 
her  acquaintance.  She  left  nine  promising  children, 

Mrs.  Caldwcll's  death  was  soon  followed  by  that 
of  her  husband.  In  November,  1781,  Mr.  Cald 
well  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  "a  young  lady  at  Eliz- 
abethtown  Point,  whose  family,  in  New  York,  had 
been  peculiarly  kind  to  the  American  prisoners, 


HI 

rode  down  to  escort  her  up  to  town.  Having  re 
ceived  her  into  his  chair,  the  sentinel  observing 
a  little  bundle  tied  in  the  lady's  handkerchief,  said 
it  must  be  seized  for  the  state.  Mr.  Caldwell  in 
stantly  left  the  chair,  saying  he  would  deliver  it  to 
the  commanding  officer,  who  was  then  present ;  and 
as  he  stepped  forward  with  this  view,  another  sol 
dier  impertinently  told  him  to  stop,  which  he  imme 
diately  did ;  the  soldier  notwithstanding?  without 
further  provocation,  shot  him  dead  on  the  spot. 
Such  was  the  untimely  fate  of  Mr.  Caldwell.  His 
public  discourses  were  sensible,  animated  and  per 
suasive  ;  his  manner  of  delivery  agreeable  and  pa 
thetic.  He  was  a  very  warm  patriot,  and  greatly 
distinguished  himself  in  supporting  the  cause  of  his 
suffering  country.  As  a  husband  he  was  kind ;  as 
a  citizen  given  to  hospitality.  The  villain  who  mur 
dered  him  was  seized  and  executed.* 


(78.)  Massacre  at  Wyoming. 

The  following  account  of  the  devastation  of  the 
flourishing  settlements  of  Wyoming,  in  July,  1778, 
and  the  massacre  of  its  inhabitants  by  a  party  of  to- 
ries  and  Indians,  under  the  command  of  the  infamous 
Co/.  Butler,  and  Brandt,  a  half-blooded  Indian,  is 
thus  related  by  Mrs.  Willard,  in  her  History  of  the 
United  States. 

"  The  devastation  of  the  flourishing  settlement  of 
Wyoming,  by  a  band  of  Indians  and  tories,  was 
marked  by  the  most  demoniac  cruelties.  This  settle 
ment  consisted  of  eight  towns  on  the  banks  of  the  Sus- 
quehannah,|and  was  one  of  the  most  flourishing  as  well 
as  delightful  places  in  America.  But  even  in  this 


13 


H2 

peaceful  spot,  the  inhabitants  were  not  exempt  irons 
the  baneful  influence  of  party  spirit.  Although  the 
majority  were  devoted  to  the  cause  of  their  country, 
yet  the  loyalists  were  numerous.  Several  persons 
had  been  arrested  as  tories,  and  sent  to  the  proper 
authorities  for  trial.  This  excited  the  indignation  of 
their  party,  and  they  determined  upon  revenge. 
They  united  with  the  Indians,  and  resorting  to  arti 
fice,  pretended  a  desire  to  cultivate  peace  with  the 
inhabitants  of  Wyoming,  while  they  were  making 
every  preparation  for  their  meditated  vengeance. 
The  youth  at  Wyoming  were  at  this  time  with  the 
army,  and  but  500  men  capable  of  defending  the 
settlement  remained.  The  inhabitants  had  con 
structed  four  forts  for  their  security,  into  which  these 
men  were  distributed.  In  the  month  of  July,  1600 
Indians  and  tories,  under  the  command  of  Butler 
and  Brandt,  appeared  on  the  banks  of  the  Susque- 
hannah.  Two  of  the  forts  nearest  the  frontier  imme 
diately  surrendered  to  them.  The  savages  spared 
the  women  and  children,  but  butchered  the  rest  of 
their  prisoners  without  exception.  They  then  sur 
rounded  Kingston,  the  principal  fort,  and  to  dismay 
the  garrison,  hurled  into  the  place  200  scalps,  still 
reeking  with  blood.  Col.  Denison,  knowing  it  to 
be  impossible  to  defend  the  fort,  demanded  of  But 
ler  what  terms  would  be  allowed  the  garrison  if  they 
surrendered;  he  answered,  "the  hatchet."  They 
attempted  further  resistance,  but  were  soon  compel 
led  to  surrender.  Enclosing  the  men,  women,  and 
children,  in  houses  and  barracks,  they  set  fire  to 
these,  and  the  miserable  wretches  were  all  consumed. 
The  fort  of  Wilksbarre  still  remained  in  the  pow 
er  of  the  republicans  ;  but  this  garrison,  learning 
the  fate  of  the  others,  surrendered  without  resis 
tance,  hoping  in  this  way  to  obtain  mercy.  But 


143 

submission  could  not  soften  the  hearts  of  these 
unfeeling  monsters,  and  their  atrocities  were  renew 
ed.  They  then  devastated  the  country,  burnt  their 
dwellings,  and  consigned  their  crops  to  the  flames. 
The  lories  appeared  to  surpass  even  the  sava 
ges  in  barbarity.  The  nearest  ties  of  consanguin 
ity  were  disregarded  ;  and  it  is  asserted,  that  a 
mother  was  murdered  by  the  hand  of  her  own  son. 
None  escaped  but  a  few  women  and  children  ; 
and  these,  dispersed  and  wandering  in  the  forests, 
without  food  and  without  clothes,  were  not  the  least 
worthy  of  commiseration. 


(79.)  Distress  and  Mutiny  of  the  American  Army. 

The  situation  of  Gen.  Washington  was  often,  du 
ring  the  war,  embarrassing,  for  want  of  proper  sup 
plies  for  the  army.  It  was  peculiarly  so,  while  at 
Morristown,  in  1780,  where  he  had  encamped  du 
ring  the  winter.  The  cold  during  the  winter  was 
uncommonly  severe,  and  the  army  suffered  extreme- 
Jy. — The  following  account  of  the  state  of  the  Ameri 
can  army  is  taken  from  Grimshavv's  History  of  the 
United  States. 

"  The  distress  suffered  by  the  American  army  did 
not  arrive  at  its  highest  pilch  until  the  present  sea 
son.  The  officers  of  the  Jersey  line,  now  address 
ed  a  memorial  to  their  state  legislature,  complaining, 
that  four  months'  pay  for  a  private  would  not  pro 
cure  for  his  family  a  single  bushel  of  wheat ;  that 
the  pay  of  a  colonel  would  not  purchase  oats  for 
his  horse;  and  that  a  common  laborer  received  four 
times  as  much  as  an  American  officer.  Tlir-y  urged, 
that  unless  an  immediate  remedy  were  provided,  the 
•»otal  dissolution  of  their  line  was  inevitable  ;  and 


144 

concluded,  by  saying,  that  their  pay  should  be  re 
alized,  either  by  Mexican  dollars,  or  something 
equivalent.  Nor  was  the  insufficiency  of  their  stip- 
port  the  only  motive  to  complaint.  Other  causes 
of  discontent  prevailed.  The  original  idea  of  a 
continental  army,  to  be  raised,  paid,  and  regulated, 
upon  an  equal  and  uniform  principle,  had  been,  in 
a  great  measure,  exchanged, -for  that  of  state  estab 
lishments  ;  a  pernicious  measure,  partly  originating 
from  necessity,  because  state  credit  was  not  quite 
so  much  depreciated  as  continental.  Some  states, 
from  their  superior  ability,  furnished  their  troops, 
not  only  with  clothing,  but  with  many  articles  of 
convenience.  Others  supplied  them  with  mere  ne 
cessaries  ;  whilst  a  few,  from  their  particular  situa 
tion,  could  give  little  or  perhaps  nothing.  The  offi 
cers  and  men,  in  the  routine  of  duty,  daily  intermix 
ed  and  made  comparisons.  Those  who  fared  worse 
than  others,  were  dissatisfied  with  a  service  that  al 
lowed  such  injurious  distinctions.  Mutiny  began  to 
spread,  and  at  length  broke  out  amongst  the  sol 
diers  at  fort  Schuyler.  Thirty  one  privates  of  that 
garrison  wrent  off  in  a  body.  They  were  overtaken, 
and  thirteen  of  their  number  instantly  killed.  About 
the  same  time,  two  regiments  of  Connecticut  troops 
mutinied,  and  got  under  arms  ;  determined  to  re 
turn  home,  or  gain  subsistence  by  the  bayonet. 
Their  officers  reasoned  with  them,  and  used  every 
argument  that  could  interest  their  passions  or  their 
pride.  They  at  first  answered,  "  Our  sufferings  are 
too  great — we  want  present  relief,"  But  military 
feelings  were  in  the  end,  triumphant :  after  much 
expostulation,  they  returned  to  the  encampment. 

It  is  natural  to  suppose,  that  the  British  comman 
der  would  not  lose  so  favorable  an  opportunity  of 
severing  the  discontented  from  their  companions^ 


145 

and  attracting  them  to  his  own  standard.  He  circu 
lated  a  printed  paper  in  the  American  camp ;  tend 
ing  to  heighten  the  disorder  by  exaggeration,  and  cre 
ate  desertion  by  promises  of  bounty  and  caresses. 
But.  so  great  was  the  firmness  of  the  soldiery,  and 
so  strong  their  attachment  to  their  country,  that,  on 
the  arrival  of  only  a  scanty  supply  of  meat,  for  their 
immediate  subsistence,  military  duty  was  cheerfully 
performed,  and  the  rolls  were  seldom  dishonored  by 
desertion. 

The  necessities  of  the  American  army  grew  so 
pressing,  that  Washington  was  constrained  to  call 
on  the  magistrates  of  the  adjacent  counties  for  spe 
cified  quantities  of  provisions  to  be  supplied  in  a 
given  number  of  days  ;  and  was  compelled  even  to 
send  out  detachments,  to  collect  subsistence  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  Even  this  expedient  at  length 
failed  ;  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  army,  being 
soon  exhausted.  His  situation  Was  painfully  em 
barrassing.  The  army  looked  to  him  for  provisions ; 
the  inhabitants  for  protection.  To  supply  the  one, 
and  not  oifenc!  the  other,  seemed  impossible.  To 
preserve  order  and  subordination,  in  an  army  of  re 
publicans,  even  when  well  fed,  regularly  paid,  and 
comfortably  clothed,  is  not  an  easy  task  ;  but  to  re 
tain  them  in  service,  and  subject  them  to  the  rules  of 
discipline,  when  wanting,  not  only  the  comforts,  but 
often  the  necessaries,  of  life,  require  such  address 
and  abilities,  as  are  rarely  found  in  human  nature. 
These  were,  however,  combined  jn  Washington. 
He  not  only  kept  his  army  in  the  field,  but  opposed 
those  difficulties  with  so  much  discretion,  as  to  com 
mand  the  approbation  of  both  soldiers  and  people. 

To  obviate  these  evils,  Congress  sent  a  commit 
tee  of  its  own  members  to  the  encampment  of  the 
main  army.     They  confirmed  the  representations- 
13* 


146 

previously  made,  of  the  distresses,  and  the  disorder^ 
arising  from  commissarial  mismanagement,  which 
every  where  prevailed.  Jn  particular,  they  stated, 
that  the  army  was  unpaid  for  five  months  ;  that  it 
seldom  had  more  than  six  days'  provision  in  ad 
vance  ;  and  was  on  different  occasions,  for  several 
successive  days,  without  meat ;  that  the  horses  were 
destitute  of  forage  ;  that  the  medical  department 
had  no  sugar,  tea,  chocolate,  wine,  nor  spiritous 
liquors  of  any  kind  ;  that  every  department  was 
without  money,  and  without  credit;  and  that  the 
patience  of  the  soldiers,  worn  down  by  the  pres 
sure  of  complicated  sufferings,  was  on  the  point  of 
being  exhausted. 

Misfortunes,  from  every  quarter,  were,  at  this 
time,  pouring  in  upon  the  United  States.  T3ut  they 
seemed  to  rise  in  the  midst  of  their  distresses,  and 
gain  strength  from  the  pressure  of  calamities. 
When  Congress  could  obtain  neither  money  nor, 
credit  for  the  subsistence  of  their  army,  the  inhabit 
ants  of  Philadelphia  gave  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  to  procure  a  supply  of  necessary  provis 
ions  for  the  suffering  troops:  and  the  ladies  of  that 
city,  at  the  same  time,  contributed  largely  to  their 
immediate  relief.  Their  example  was  generally 
followed.  The  patriotic  flame,  which  blazed  forth 
in  the  beginning  of  the  war,  was  rekindled.  The 
different  states  were  ardently  excited  ;  and  it  was 
arranged,  that  the  regular  army  should  be  raised  to 
thirty- five  thousand  elective  men.'? 


(80.)  Capture  of  Andre,  and  Treason  of  Arnold. 

In  the  year  1780,  a  plot  fraught  wiih  much  dan 
ger  to  the  American  cause  was  happily  discovered. 


14? 


This  plot,  originated  with  Arnold,  a  General  in  the 
American  army,  who  by  his  extravagance  and  over 
bearing  behavior,  had  brought  upon  himself  a  rep 
rimand  from  the  American  Congress.  Of  a  temper 
too  impetuous  to  bear  reproof,  Arnold,  bent  on  re 
venge,  entered  into  a  negotiation  through  Major 
John  Andre,  Adjutant  General  in  the  British  army, 
to  deliver  up  to  the  enemy  the  important  post  of 
West  Point,  of  which  Arnold  had  the  command. 

Andre  proceeded  in  disguise  to  West  Point,  drew 
a  plan  of  the  fortress,  concerted  with  Arnold,  and 
agreed  upon  the  manner  and  time  of  attack.  Hav 
ing  obtained  a  passport,  and  assumed  the  name 
of  Anderson,  Andre  set  out  on  his  return  to  New- 
York  by  land.  He  passed  the  outposts  of  the 
American  army  without  suspicion.  Supposing  him 
self  now  out  of  danger,  he  pressed  forward,  elated 
with  the  prospect  of  the  speedy  execution  of  a  plot 
which  was  to  give  the  finishing  blow  to  liberty  in 
America. 

But,  mark  the  hand  of  Providence, — about  thirty 
miles  from  New  York,  as  Andre  was  entering  a  vil 
lage  called  Tarry  town,  three  militia  men,  who  hap 
pened  that  way,  JOHN  PAULDING,  DAVID  WILLIAMS, 
and  ISAAC  VANWERT,  seized  the  bridle  of  his  horse, 
and  accosted  him  with  ':  Where  are  you  bound?" 
Andre  supposing  that  they  were  of  the  British,  did 
not  immediately  show  his  passport,  but  waving 
iheir  question,  asked  them,  "where  they  belonged 
to?"  they  replied  "to  below,"  (referring  to  the 
course  of  the  river,  and  implying  that  they  were  of 
the  British  party.)  "And  so  do  /,"  said  Andre, 
(confirmed  in  his  mistake  by  this  stratagem,)  at  the 
same  time  informed  them  that  he  was  a  British  offi 
cer,  on  urgent  business,  and  must  not  be  detained. 
<*  You  belong  to  our  enemies,"  exclaimed  the  militfa 


148 

men,  "  and  zee  arrest  you."  Andre,  struck  with  as 
tonishment,  presented  his  passport,  but  this,  after 
what  had  passed,  only  rendered  his  case  the  more 
suspicious.  He  then  offered  them  a  purse  of  gold, 
his  horse  and  watch,  besides  a  large  reward  from 
the  British  government,  if  they  would  but  liberate 
him.  But  these  soldiers,  though  poor  and  obscure, 
were  not  to  be  bribed.  They  searched  him  and 
found  concealed  in  his  boot,  papers  which  evidenced 
his  guilt,  and  they  immediately  conducted  him  to 
Col.  Jameson,  their  commanding  officer. 

Andre  was  tried  by  a  board  of  general  officers  of 
the  American  army,  and  executed  as  a  spy,  at  Tap- 
pan,  N.  Y.  October  2.  He  was  a  young  officer, 
high  minded,  brave,  accomplished  and  humane. 
Me  suffered  with  fortitude,  and  his  fate  excited  the 
universal  sympathy  of  all  parties.* 

*  Major  Andre  Lad  many  friends  in  the  American  army^ 
and  even  Washington  would  have  spared  him,  had  duty  to 
his  country  permitted.  Every  possible  effort  was  made  by 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  in  his  favor,  but  it  was  deemed  important 
that  the  decision  of  the  board  of  war  should  be  carried  into 
execution. 

When  Major  Andre  was  apprized  of  the  sentence  of  death, 
Jie  made  a  last  appeal  in  a  letter  to  Washing-ton,  that  he  might 
be  shot  rather  than  die  on  a  gibbet. 

The  letter  of  Andre  roused  the  sympathies  of  Washing- 
ton,  and  had  he  only  been  concerned,  the  prisoner  would 
have  been  pardoned  and  released.  But  the  interests  of  his 
country  were  at  stake,  and  the  sternness  of  justice  demanded 
that  private  feelings  should  be  sacrificed. 

Upon  consulting  his  officers  on  the  propriety  of  listening 
to  Major  Andre's  request,  to  receive  the  death  of  a  soldier, 
(to  be  shot,)  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  deny  it,  and  to  make 
him  an  example. 

As  a  reward  to  Paulding,  Williams,  and  VanWert,  for 
their  virtuous  and  patriotic  conduct,  Congress  voted  to  each 
of  them  an  annuity  of  $200,  and  a  silver  medal,  on  one  side 
pf  which,  was  a  shield  with  this  inscription— •'  fidelity,"-*. 


149 
(81.)  Battle  of  the  Cowpens. 

In  the  autumn  of  1780,  Gen.  Greene  was  ap 
pointed  to  the  command  of  the  American  forces  in 
Carolina.  He  was  accompanied  by  Colonel  Mor 
gan,  a  brave  and  active  officer,  who  commanded  a 
body  of  riflemen. 

On  the  entrance  of  Morgan  into  the  district  of 
Ninety  Six,  Lord  Cornwallis  detached  Lieut.  Col. 
Tarleton  to  drive  him  from  this  station,  and  to  "push 
him  to  the  utmost*"  Tarleton's  fojce  consisted  of 
about  1000  choice  infantry,  and  250  horse,  with 
two  field  pieces.  To  oppose  this  force,  Morgan 
had  but  500  militia,  300  regulars  and  75  horse, 
under  the  command  of  Col.  Washington.  The  two 
detachments  met  on  the  17th  of  Jan.  !781,attheCow- 
pens.  The  ground  on  which  this  memorable 
battle  was  fought,  was  an  open  pine  barren.  The 
militia  were  drawn  up  about  280  yards  in  front  of 
the  regulars,  and  the  horse  some  small  distance  in 
the  rear.  Just  after  day  break,  the  British  came 
in  sight;  and  halting  within  a  bout  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
of  the  militia,  began  to  prepare  for  battle.  The 
sun  had  just  risen,  as  the  enemy,  with  loud  shouts, 
advanced  to  the  charge.  The  militia,  hardly  wait 
ing  to  give  them  a  distant  fire,  broke,  and  fled  for 

and  on  the  other,  the  following  motto,  ("vinctt  amor  pat  rice,"} 
-•-the  love  of  country  conquers. 

Arnold,  the  miserable  wretch,  whose  machinations  led  to 
the  melancholy  fate  Andre  experienced,  escaped  to  New 
York,  where,  as  the  price  of  his  dishonor,  he  received  the 
commission  of  Brigadier  General,  and  the  sum  of  ten  thou 
sand  pounds  sterling! 

This  last  boon  was  the  grand  secret  of  Arnold's  fall  from 
virtue  ;  his  vanity  and  extravagance  had  led  him  into  expen 
ses  which  it  was  neither  in  the  power  nor  will  of  Congress 
to  support.  He  had  involved  himself  in  debt,  from  which  he 
saw  no  hope  of  extricating  himself:  and  his  honor,  therefore, 
was  bartered  for  British  gold.— GoodrisVa  Hist.  U.  S. 


150 

'heir  horses,  which  were  tied  at  some  distance, 
Tarle  ton's  cavalry  pushed  hard  after  them,  and 
coming  up  just  as  they  reached  their  horses,  began 
to  cut  them  down.  On  seeing  this,  Col.  Washing 
ton  with  his  cavalry,  dashed  on  to  their  rescue.  As 
if  certain  of  victory,  Tarleton's  men  were  all  scat 
tered  in  the  chase.  Washington's  men,  on  the  con 
trary,  advanced  closely  and  compactly,  and  gave 
the  British  cavalry  such  a  fatal  charge,  that  they 
fled  in  the  utmost  precipitation.  The  British  infant 
ry  now  came  up  ;  and,  having  crossed  a  little  valley, 
just  as  they  ascended  the  hill,  they  found  themselves 
within  twenty  paces  of  the  regular  Americans,  un 
der  Col.  Howard,  who  at  this  moment  poured  upon 
them  a  general  and  deadly  fire.  This  threw  them 
into  confusion.  The  militia  seeing  this  change  in 
the  battle,  recovered  their  spirits,  and  began  to 
form  on  the  right  of  the  regulars.  Morgan,  waving 
his  sword,  instantly  rode  up,  exclaiming  with  a 
loud  voice,  "  Hurrah  !  my  brave  fellows  !  form, 
form  !  old  Morgan  was  never  beat  in  his  life  I — one 
fire  more,  my  heroes,  and  the  day  is  our  own!" 
With  answering  shouts,  both  regulars  and  militia 
then  advanced  upon  the  enemy  ;  and  following  their 
fire  with  the  bayonet,  instantly  decided  the  con 
flict.* 

The  British  lost  in  this  engagement,  upwards  of 
300  killed  and  wounded,  and  more  than  500  prison 
ers.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  but  12  killed 
and  60  wounded. 


(82.)  Battle  of  Guilford. 

After   the    disaster  at    the    the    Cowpens,   Lord 
Cornwallis  determined  lo  intercept  Col,  Morgan,  and 
*Weems'  Life  of  Washingtop. 


retake  the  prisoners  ;  but  a  heavy  rain  in  the  night- 
swelled  the  rivers  so  as  to  prevent  his  design.  Tc 
enable  his  troops  to  march  with  more  celerity,  he 
destroyed  all  his  heavy  baggage.  At  length  Gen 
eral  Greene  joined  Col.  Morgan,  with  additional  for 
ces,  and  Lord  Cornwallis,  having  collected  his 
troops,  the  armies  met  near  the  court-house  in  Guil- 
ford.  The  action  was  fought  on  the  15th  of  March,. 
1781 .  The  Americans  amounted  to  be!  ween  4  and 
5000  men,  but  mostly  militia,  or  inexperienced  sol 
diers.  The  British  force  consisted  of  about  half 
that  number  of  veterans.*  The  Americans  were 
drawn  up  in  three  lines.  The  front  was  composed 
of  North  Carolina  militia,  commanded  by  Gene 
rals  Butler  and  Eaton  ;  the  second,  of  Virginia  mi 
litia,  commanded  by  Stephens  and  Lawson  ;  the 
third  of  continental  troops,  commanded  by  Gene 
ral  Huger  and  Colonel  Williams.  The  British,  af 
ter  a  brisk  cannonade  in  front,  advanced  in  three 
columns,  the  Hessians  on  the  right,  the  guards  in 
the  centre,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Webster's  brig 
ade  on  the  left;  and  attacked  the  front  line.  The 
militia  composing  this  line,  through  the  misconduct 
of  an  officer  in  giving  occasion  to  a  false  alarm,  pre 
cipitately  quitted  the  field.  The  Virginia  militia 
stood  their  ground,  and  kept  up  their  fire,  until 
they  were  ordered  to  retreat.  The  continental 
troops  were  last  engaged,  and  maintained  the  con 
flict  with  great  spirit  an  hour  and  a  half;  but  were 
then  forced  to  give  way  before  their  veteran  adver 
saries.  The  British  broke  the  second  Maryland 
brigade ;  turned  the  American  left  flank ;  and  got 
in  the  rear  of  the  Virginia  brigade.  On  their  ap 
pearing  to  be  gaining  Greene's  right,  and  thus 
threatening  to  encircle  the  whole  of  the  continental 
*Webster, 


152 

troops,  a  retreat  was  ordered,  which  was  well 
conducted.*  The  battle  was  fought  with  great  bra 
very  and  effect ;  for  although  Lord  Cornwallis 
remained  master  of  the  field,  his  losses,  in  a  coun 
try  where  he  could  not  recruit  his  army,  had  the 
effect  of  a  defeat.  His  loss  was  more  than  five 
hundred  men.  That  of  the  Americans  was  about 
four  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded,  of  which  more 
than  three  fourths  were  continentals. 


(83.)  Battle  of  But  aw  Springs. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1781,  Gen.  Greene, 
having  assembled  about  two  thousand  men,  pro 
ceeded  to  attack  the  British,  who,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Col.  Stewart,  were  posted  at  Eutaw  Springs. 
The  American  force  was  drawn  up  in  two  lines  :  the 
first,  composed  of  Carolina  militia,  was  commanded 
by  Generals  Marion  and  Pickens,  and  Col.  De  Mai- 
medy.  The  second,  which  consisted  of  continental 
troops  from  North-Carolina,  Virginia,  and  Maryland, 
was  commanded  by  Gen.  Sumpter,  Lieut.  Col, 
Campbell,  and  Col.  Williams— Lieut,  Col.  Lee, 
with  his  legion,  covered  the  right  flank  ;  arid  Lieut, 
Col.  Henderson,  with  the  state  troops,  covered  the 
left,  A  corps  •  reserve  was  formed  of  the  cavalry, 
under  Lieut.  Col.  Washington,  and  the  Delaware 
troops,  under  Capt.  Kirkwood.  As  the  Americans 
came  forward  to  the  attack,  they  fell  in  with  some 
advanced  parties  of  the  enemy,  at  about  two  or 
three  miles  ahead  of  the  main  body.  These  being 
closely  pursued  were  driven  back^-and  the  action 
soon  became  general.  The  militia  were  at  length 
forced  to  give  way,  but  were  bravely  supported  by 
the  second  line.  In  the  hottest  part  of  the  engage* 

*  Holmes'  Annals, 


Ifcw-York 


cf  Andre 

Virginia 


ny  New  for 


153 

ment,  Gen.  Greene  ordered  the  Maryland  and  Vii 
ginia  continentals  to  charge  with  trailed  arms. 
This  decided  the  fate  of  the  day.  '  Nothing,'  says 
Dr.  Ramsay,  '  could  surpass  the  intrepidity  of  both 
officers  and  men  on  this  occasion.  They  rushed  on, 
in  good  order,  through  a  heavy  cannonade,  and  a 
shower  of  musketry,  with  such  unshaken  resolution, 
that  they  bore  down  all  before  them.'  The  British 
were  broken,  closely  pursued,  and  upwards  of  five 
hundred  of  them  taken  prisoners.  They  however 
made  a  fresh  stand,  in  a  favorable  position,  in  im 
penetrable  shrubs  and  a  picquetted  garden,  Lieut. 
Col.  Washington,  after  having  made  every  effort  to 
dislodge  them,  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner. 
Four  six  pounders  were  brought  forward  to  play 
upon  them,  but  they  fell  into  tneir  hands ;  and  the 
endeavors  to  drive  them  from  their  Station  being 
found  impracticable,  the  Americans  retired,  leaving 
a  strong  picquet  on  the  field  of  battle,  Their  loss 
was  about  five  hundred  ;  that  of  the  British  up 
wards  of  eleven  hundred. 

Gen.  Greene  was  honored  by  Congress  with  a 
British  standard,  and  a  gold  medal,  emblematic  of 
the  engagement  and  success,  '  for  his  wise,  decisive 
and  magnanimous  conduct,  in  the  action  of  Kutaw 
Springs,  in  which,  with  a  force  inferior  in  number  to 
that  of  the  enemy,  he  obtained  a  most  signal  vic 
tory.' 

In  the  evening  of  the  succeeding  day,  Col\  Stew 
art   abandoned   his   post,    and   retreated    towards 
Charleston,  leaving  behind  upwards  of  seventy  of 
his  wounded,  and  a  thousand  stands  of  arms.     He 
was  pursued  a  considerable  distance— but  in  vain. 

The  battle  of  Eutaw  produced  most  signal  conse 
quences  in  favor  of  America.     The  British,  who 
had  for  such  a  length  of  time,  lorded  it  absolutely  in 
14 


154 

South  Carolina,  were,  shortly  after  that  event,  obli 
ged  to  confine  themselves  to  Charleston. 

Morse's  Revolution. 


(84.)  Storming  of  Fort  Griswold. 

While  the  combined  armies  were  advancing  to 
the  siege  of  Yorktown,  General  Arnold,  who  had 
lately  returned  from  Virginia,  was  appointed  to 
conduct  an  expedition  against  New  London.  The 
troops  employed  in  this  service,  were  landed  on 
each  side  of  the  harbor,  in  two  detachments ;  the 
one  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Eyre,  and 
the  other  by  General  Arnold.  New  London  is 
a  seaport  town,  situaled  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Thames,  on  the  west  side  of  that  river.  For  the 
defence  of  the  place,  therej  had  been  constructed, 
below  the  town,  and  on  the  western  side  of  the 
harbor,  a  fort,  called  Fort  Trumbull,  with  a  re 
doubt;  and  opposite  to  it,  on  Groton  Hill,  another 
fort,  called  Fort  Griswold,  a  strong  square  fortifi 
cation,  insufficiently  garrisoned.  Fort  Trumbull, 
the  redoubt,  and  the  town  of  New  London,  being 
totally  untenable,  were  evacuated  on  the  approach 
of  Arnold,  who  took  possession  of  them  with  in 
considerable  loss.  Fort  Griswold  was  defended  by 
Colonel  Ledyard,  with  a  garrison  of  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  men,  some  of  whom  had  just 
evacuated  the  works  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river.  On  the  rejection  of  a  summons  to  surrender, 
the  British  marched  up  to  the  assault  on  three  sides ; 
and,  though  the  ascent  was  steep,  and  a  continued 
fire  was  directed  against  them,  they  at  length  made 
a  lodgement  on  the  ditch  and  fraized  work,  and  en 
tered  the  embrasures  with  charged  bayonets.  An 


155 

officer  of  the  conquering  troops,  on  entering  the 
fort,  asked  who  commanded  it,  "  I  did,"  answer 
ed  Colonel  Ledyard,  u  but  you  do  now,"  and  pre 
sented  him  his  sword,  which  was  instantly  plunged 
into  his  own  bosom.  Although  resistance  had  now 
ceased,  yet,  to  the  indelible  infamy  of  the  con 
querors,  they  commenced  a  merciless  slaughter, 
which  "  was  kept  up  until  the  greater  part  of  the 
garrison  was  killed  or  wrounded."  The  town  of 
JNevv  London,  and  the  stores  contained  in  it,  were 
reduced  to  ashes;  and  General  Arnold,  having 
completed  the  object  of  the  expedition,  returned 
in  eight  days  to  New  York. — Holmes1  Annals. 


(85.)  Surrender  of   Cornwallis. 

The  19th  of  October,  1781,  was  rendered  me 
morable  by  the  surrender  of  the  British  army,  con 
sisting  of  7000  men  under  Cornwallis,  at  York  town, 
Va.  This  joyful  event  decided  the  Revolutionary 
contest,  and  laid  the  foundation  fora  general  peace. 
About  the  last  of  August,  Count  de  Grasse  with  a 
French  fleet,  arrived  in  the  Chesapeake  and  block 
ed  up  the  British  troops  who  had  fortified  themselves 
at  Yorktown. 

Previous  to  this,  the  American  and  French  troops, 
under  General  Washington,  had  moved  to  the  south 
ward;  and  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  the  arrival  of  a 
French  fleet,  made  rapid  marches  to  the  head  of 
Elk  river,  where  embarking,  the  troops  soon  arri 
ved  at  Yorktown.  A  close  siege  was  now  commen 
ced,  and  carried  on  with  such  ardor  and  determin 
ation,  by  the  American  and  French  troops,  that 
Cornwallis  was  forced  to  surrender. 


156 

The  spectacle  of  the  surrender  was  impressive 
and  affecting.  The  road  through  which  the  cap 
tive  army  marched,  was  lined  with  spectators.  On 
one  side,  General  Washington,  with  the  American 
.staff,  took  their  station  ;  on  the  opposite  side,  was 
the  Count  de  Rochambeau,  with  the  French  staff. 

"  The  captive  army  approached,  moving  slowly 
in  columns,  with  grace  and  precision.  Universal 
.silence  was  observed  amidst  the  vast  concourse,  and 
the  utmost  decency  prevailed  ;  exhibiting,  in  de 
meanor,  an  awlul  sense  of  the  vicissitude'of  human 
life,  mingled  with  commiseration  for  the  unhappy." 

Lord  Corn wa His,  unable  to  endure  the  humilia 
tion  of  marching  at  the  head  of  his  troops,  appoint 
ed  General  O'Hara  his  representative,  who  deliver 
ed  up  the  sword  of  Cornwallis  to  the  American  Com 
mander  in  Chief. 


(86.)    Washington  taking  leave  of  the  Army. 

The  storm  of  the  revolution  having  subsided,  the 
definitive  treaty  was  signed  on  the  30th  of  Septem 
ber,  1783,  and  the  3d  of  November  was  fixed  on 
by  Congress,  for  disbanding  the  United  States'  Ar 
my.  On  the  day  preceding,  General  Washington 
gave  an  affectionate  farewell  to  the  soldiers,  who, 
during  "  the  time  that  tried  men's  souls"  had  fought 
by  his  side.  "  Being  now,"  he  said  in  his  address 
to  the  army,  "  to  conclude  these,  my  last  public  or 
ders,  to  take  my  ultimate  leave  in  a  short  time  of  the 
military  character,  and  to  bid  a  final  adieu  to  the 
armies  I  have  so  long  had  the  honor  to  command,  I 
can  only  again  offer  in  your  behalf,  my  recommend- 
,  ations  to  our  grateful  country,  and  my  prayer  to  the 
God  of  armies. — May  ample  justice  be  done  you 


157 

here,  and  may  the  choicest  favors,  both  here  and 
hereafter,  attend  those,  who  under  the  divine  auspi 
ces,  have  secured  innumerable  blessings  for  others  ! 
With  these  wishes  and  this  benediction,  the  com 
mander  in  chief  is  about  to  retire  from  service.  The 
curtain  of  separation  will  soon  be  drawn,  and  the 
military  scene  will  be  closed  forever." 

The  officers  of  the  army  assembled  at  New  York. 
Washington  was  there  also,  and  at  parting,  thus 
addressed  them  :  "  With  a  heart  full  of  love  and 
gratitude,  I  now  take  my  leave  of  you.  I  most  de 
voutly  wish,  that  your  latter  days  may  be  as  pros 
perous  and  happy,  as  your  former  ones  have  been 
glorious  and  honorable.1"  Taking  each  by  the 
hand,  he  bade  them  farewell.  They  then  accom 
panied  him  to  the  shore  of  the  Hudson,  where  he 
was  received  in  a  barge,  magnificently  decorated, 
and  manned  with  thirteen  sea  captains — and  waving 
his  hat,  while  the  tears  started  from  his  eyes,  he 
bade  a  silent  adieu  to  the  companions  of  his  glory. 


(87.)  Continental  Money. 

The  expedient  of  supplying  the  deficiencies  of 
specie,  by  emissions  of  paper  bills,  was  adopted 
very  early  in  the  Colonies.  In  many  instances, 
these  emissions  produced  good  effects.  These  bills 
were  generally  a  legal  tender,  in  all  colonial  or 
private  contracts,  and  the  sums  issued  did  not  gene 
rally  exceed  the  granted  requisite  for  a  medium  of 
trade  ;  they  retained  their  full  nominal  value  in  the 
purchase  of  commodities.  But  as  they  were  notre- 
ceived  by  the  British  merchants,  in  payment  for 
their  goods,  there  was  a  great  demand  for  specie 
and  bills,  which  occasioned  the  latter,  at  various 
14* 


158 

times,  to  depreciate.  Thus  was  introduced  a  dit* 
ference  between  the  English  sterling  money,  and  the 
currencies  of  the  different  States,  which  remains 
to  this  day.* 

The  advantages  the  Colonies  had  derived  from 
paper  currency,  under  the  British  government,  sug 
gested  to  Congress,  in  1775,  the  idea  of  issuing 
bills;  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  war.  And 
this,  perhaps,  was  their  only  expedient.  They 
could  not  raise  money  by  taxation,  and  it  could  not 
be  borrowed.  The  first  emissions  had  no  other  ef 
fect  upon  the  medium  of  commerce,  than  to  drive 
the  specie  from  circulation.  But  when  the  paper 
substituted  for  specie,  had,  by  repeated  emissions, 
augmented  the  sum  in  circulation,  much  beyond  the 
usual  sum  in  specie,  the  bills  began  to  lose  their 
value.  The  depreciation  continued,  in  proportion 
to  the  sums  emitted,  until  one  hundred  paper  dol 
lars,  were  hardly  an  equivalent  for  one  Spanish  mil 
led  dollar.  With  this  depreciated  paper  was  the 
army  paid, — and  from  1775  to  1781,  this  currency 
was  almost  the  only  medium  of  trade ;  until  the  sum 
in  circulation  amounted  to  two  hundred  millions  of 
dollars.  But  about  the  year  1780,  specie  began  to 
be  plentiful,  being  introduced  by  the  French  army, 
a  private  trade  with  the  Spanish  islands,  and  an  il 
licit  intercourse  with  the  British  garrison  in  New 
York.  This  circumstance  accelerated  the  depreci 
ation  of  the  paper  bills,  until  their  value  had  sunk 

*A  dollar  in  sterling-  money,  is  4s.  6d.  But  the  price  of  a 
dollar  rose,  in  New  England  currency  to  6*.;  in  New  York, 
to  8s.;  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland,  to  7*. 
6d. ;  in  Virgin'^,  to  6s.;  in  North  Carolinia,  to  8s.;  in  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  to  4s.  Qd.  This  difference,  originating 
between  paper  and  specie,  or  bills,  continued  after 
wards  to  exist  in  the  nominal  estimation  of  gold  and  silver. 
Franklin's  Miscellaneous  fFor%/, 


to  almost  nothing.  In  1781,  the  merchants  and 
brokers  of  the  southern  States,  apprehensive  oi 
the  approaching  fate  of  the  currency,  pushed  im 
mense  quantities  of  it  suddenly  into  New  England — 
made  vast  purchases  of  goods  in  Boston — and  in 
stantly  the  bills  vanished  from  circulation. 

The  whole  history  of  this  Continental  paper,  is  a 
history  of  public  and  private  frauds.  Old  specie 
debts  were  often  paid  in  a  depreciated  currency — 
and  even  new  contracts,  for  a  few  weeks  or  days, 
were  often  discharged  with  a  small  part  of  the  val 
ue  received.  From  this  plenty,  and  the  fluctuating 
state  of  the  medium,  sprang  hosts  of  speculators^ 
and  itinerant  traders,  who  left  their  honest  occupa 
tions  for  the  prospect  of  immense  gains,  in  a  fraud 
ulent  business,  that  depended  on  no  fixed  princi 
ples,  and  the  profits  of  which,  could  be  reduced  to 
no  certain  calculations. — Morsels  Geography,  1789. 


(88.)  Shays'  Insurrection  in  Massachusetts. 

In  the  year  1786,  an  insurrection  took  place  in 
Massachusetts.  "  A  heavy  debt  lying  on  the  State, 
and  almost  all  the  corporations  within  it;  a  relaxa 
tion  of  manners  ;  a  free  use  of  foreign  luxuries  ;  a 
decay  of  trade  ;  with  a  scarcity  of  money  ;  and 
above  all,  the  debts  due  from  individuals  to  each 
other ;  were  the  primary  causes  of  this  sedition. 
Heavy  taxes,  necessarily  imposed  at  this  time,  were 
the  immediate  excitement  to  discontent  and  insur 
gency."* 

The  leader  of  the  malcontents  in  Massachusetts,, 
was  Daniel  Shays.  At  the  head  of  three  hun 
dred  men,  he  marched  to  Springfield,  where  the 

*Holmes'  Annals 


Supreme  Judicial  Court  was  in  session,  and  took 
possession  of  the  court-house.  He  then  appointed 
a  committee,  who  waited  on  the  Court  with  an  order, 
couched  in  the  humble  formof  a  petition,  requesting 
them  not  to  proceed  to  business  ;  and  both  parties  re 
tired.  The  number  of  insurgents  increased ;  the  post 
ure  of  affairs  became  alarming;  and  an  army  of  4000 
men  was  at  length  ordered  out  for  their  dispersion. 
Thisjforce  was  placed  under  the  command  of  Gener 
al  Lincoln.  His  first  measure  was  to  march  to  Wor 
cester  ;  and  he  afforded  such  protection  to  the 
Court  at  that  place,  that  it  resumed  and  executed 
the  judicial  functions.  Orders  were  given  to  Gene 
ral  Shepard,  to  collect  a  sufficient  force  to  secure 
the  arsenal  at  Springfield.  Accordingly,  he  raised 
about  900  men,  which  were  reinforced  by  300  mili 
tia  from  the  county  of  Hampshire.  At  the  head  of 
this  force,  he  marched,  as  directed,  to  Springfield. 
On\he  25th  of  January,  Shays  approached,  at  the 
head  of  1100  men.  Shepard  sent  out  one  of  his 
aids  to  know  the  intention  of  the  insurgents,  and  to 
warn  them  of  their  danger.  Their  answer  was, 
that  they  would  have  the  barracks,  and  they  pro 
ceeded  to  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  arse 
nal.  They  were  then  informed,  that  the  militia 
were  posted  there  by  order  of  the  Governor ;  and 
that  they  would  be  fired  upon,  if  they  approached 
pcarer.  They  continued  to  advance,  when  Gene 
ral  Shepard  ordered  his  men  to  fire,  but  to  direct 
their  fire  over  their  heads  ;  even  this  did  not  intimi 
date  them,  or  retard  their  movements.  The  artille 
ry  was  then  levelled  against  the  centre  column,  and 
the  whole  body  thrown  into  confusion.  Shays  at- 
jtempted  in  vain  to  rally  them.  They  made  a  pre 
cipitate  retreat  to  Ludlow,  about  ten  miles  from 
Springfield.  Three  men  were  killed  and  one 


161 

wounded.  They  soon  after  retreated  to  Petersham; 
but  General  Lincoln  pursuing  their  retreat,  they 
finally  dispersed. 

Some  of  the  fugitvies  retired  to  their  homes ;  but 
many,  and  among  them  their  principal  officers,  took 
refuge  in  the  States  of  New  Hampshire,  Vermont 
and  New  York.* 


(89.)  Adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution. 

In  pursuance  of  the  request  of  Virginia,  most  of 
the  States  appointed  delegates,  who  assembled  at 
Annapolis,  September  14,  1786.  But  on  examin 
ing  their  commissions,  it  wras  judged  that  their  pow 
ers  were  too  limited  to  enable  them  to  accomplish 
any  desirable  purpose.  The}  thereiore  adjourned, 
with  instructions  to  advise  the  States  to  appoint 
agents  with  more  ample  powers,  to  meet  at  Phila 
delphia,  the  next  year.  Accordingly,  delegates 
from  the  several  States,  assembled  in  that  city,  in 
May  1787,  and  appointed  the  venerable  Washing 
ton  for  their  President.  That  gentleman  had  reti 
red  to  his  farm  in  1783,  with  a  fixed  determination 
never  mof-e  to  engage  in  public  affairs ;  but  he  was 
selected  by  Virginia  as  one  of  the  delegates,  on 
this  important  occasion,  and  pressed  to  accept  the 
appointment.  After  four  months  deliberation,  the 
convention  agreed  to  a  frame  of  government  for 
the  United  States,  and  recommended  it  to  the  seve 
ral  States  for  adoption. 

The  States  referred  the  question  of  adopting  the 
frame  of  government,  to  conventions  appointed  for 
that  express  purpose.  On  that  occasion,  popular 
jealousy  appeared  in  all  its  force.  Jt  was  object 
ed,  that  the  plan  of  government  proposed,  abridg- 

*Mrs.  Willard's  History  U.  S, 


162 

td  the  States  of  their  sovereignty,  and  amounted  t6  a 
consolidation.  This  was  a  fruitful  theme  of  decla 
mation,  notwithstanding  all  the  calamities  that  had 
arisen  from  the  jealousies  and  clashing  interests  of 
the  States,  and  a  want  of  uniformity  in  public  meas 
ures.  Many  other  objections  were  urged,  especial 
ly  in  the  large  States.  At  length,  however,  the 
proposed  frame  of  federal  government  was  accept 
ed  and  ratified  in  1788,  by  eleven  States,  and  be 
came  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  The 
first  convention  of  North  Carolina  rejected  it ;  as 
did  the  town  meetings,  to  which  it  was  referred,  in 
Rhode  Island.  But  North  Carolina  acceded  to  it 
in  November,  1789,  and  Rhode  Island  in  May, 
1790.  The  ratification  of  the  constitution  was  cel 
ebrated  in  the  large  cities,  with  great  joy  and  splen 
did  exhibitions.  A  ship,  the  emblem  of  commerce, 
and  stages  for  mechanical  labor,  the  emblems  of 
manufactures,  were  mounted  on  wheels  and  drawn 
through  the  streets,  attended  by  immense  processions 
of  citizens,  arranged  according  to  their  professions  ; 
while  bands  of  music, streaming  flags,  and  the  roar  of 
cannon,  manifested  the  enthusiasm  with  which  the 
people  received  the  authority  of  the  national  govern 
ment. —  Webster. 


(90.)   Inauguration  of  President  Washington. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1789,  the  delegates  from 
the  eleven  States,  which  at  that  time  had  ratified  the 
constitution,  assembled  at  New  York,  where  a 
convenient  and  elegant  building  had  been  prepared 
for  their  accommodation.  On  opening  and  count 
ing  the  votes  for  President,  it  was  found  that  George 
Washington  was  unanimously  elected  to  thatdigmfi^ 


163 

ed  oftice,  and  that  John  Adams  was  chosen  Vice 
President.  The  annunciation  of  the  choice  of  the 
first  •  and  second  magistrates  of  the  United  States, 
occasioned  a  general  diffusion  of  joy  among  the 
friends  of  the  Union,  and  fully  evinced  that  these 
eminent  characters  were  the  choice  of  the  people. 
On  the  30th  of  April,  1789,  George  Washington  was 
inaugurated  President  of  the  United  States  of  Ameri 
ca,  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  in  the  open  gallery  of  Federal  Hall,  in 
the  view  of  many  thousand  spectators.  The  oatk 
was  administered  by  Chancellor  Livingston.  Sev 
eral  circumstances  concurred,  to  render  the  scene 
unusually  solemn — the  presence  of  the  beloved 
father  and  deliverer  of  his  country— the  impressions 
of  gratitude  for  his  past  services — the  vast  concourse 
of  spectators — the  devout  fervency  with  which  he 
repeated  the  oath,  and  the  reverential  manner  in 
which  he  bowed  to  kiss  the  sacred  volume — these 
circumstances,  together  with  that  of  his  being  chosen 
to  the  most  dignified  office  in  America,  and  perhaps 
in  the  world,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  more  than 
three  millions  of  enlightened  freemen,  al!  conspired 
to  place  this  among  the  most  august  and  interesting 
scenes  which  have  ever  been  exhibited  on  this 
globe.* 

"  It  seemed,  from  the  number  of  witnesses,"  said 
a  spectator  of  the  scene,  "  to  be  a  solemn  appeal  to 
heaven  and  earth  at  once.  Upon  the  subject  of  this 
great  and  good  man,  I  may  perhaps  be  an  enthusi 
ast  ;  but  I  confess  I  was  under  an  awful  and  reli 
gious,  persuasion,  that  the  gracious  Ruler  of  the 
Universe  was  looking  down  at  that  moment,  with 
peculiar  conplacency  on  an  act,  which,  to  a  part  of 

*  Dr.  Morse. 


164 

iiis  creatures,  was  so  very  important.  Under  this 
impression,  when  the  Chancellor  pronounced,  in  a 
very  feeling  manner,  '  Long  live  George  Washing- 
tonj  my  sensibility  was  wound  up  to  such  a  pitch, 
that  I  could  do  no  more  than  wave  my  hat,  with  the 
rest,  without  the  power  of  joining  in  the  repeated 
.acclamations  which  rent  the  air." 


(91.)   Whiskey  Insurrection  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  year  1794  is  distinguished  by  an  Insurrection 
in  Pennsylvania,  commonly  called  the  Whiskey  In 
surrection.  "  In  1791,  Congress  had  enacted  laws, 
laying  duties  upon  spirits  distilled  in  the  United 
States,  and  upon  stills.  From  the  commencement 
of  the  operation  of  these  laws,  combinations  were 
formed  in  the  four  western  counties  of  Pennsylvania 
to  defeat  them ;  and  violences  were  repeatedly  com 
mitted.  In  July  of  the  present  year,  (1794,)  about 
one  hundred  persons,  armed  with  guns  and  other 
weapons,  attacked  the  house  of  an  inspector  of  the 
revenue,  and  wounded  some  persons  within  it. 
They  seized  the  marshal  of  the  district  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  who  had  been  previously  fired  on,  while  in  the 
.execution  of  his  duty,  by  a  party  of  armed  men,  and 
.compelled  him  to  enter  into  stipulations  to  forbear 
the  execution  of  his  office.  Both  the  inspector  and 
the  marshal  were  obliged  to  fly  from  that  part  of  the 
.country  to  the  seat  of  government.  These,  and  many 
other  outrages,  induced  President  Washington,  on 
the  seventh  of  August,  to  issue  a  proclamation, 
commanding  the  insurgents  to  disperse,  and  warning 
all  persons  against  aiding,  abetting,  or  comforting, 
the  perpetrators  of  these  treasonable  acts,  and  re 
quiring  all  officers,  and  other  citizens,  according  tp 


Fewr-lbvlc 


165 

their  respective  duties  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  to 
exert  their  utmost  endeavors  to  prevent  and  sup 
press  such  dangerous  proceedings. 

The  President,  having  ordered  out  a  suitable 
number  of  the  militia,  proceeded  in  October,  to  Bed 
ford,  whence  he  gave  out  instructions  to  Governor 
Lee,  of  Maryland,  whom  he  appointed  to  conduct 
the  militia  army  for  the  suppression  of  the  insur 
gents.  Governor  Lee  marched  his  troops,  amount 
ing  to  fifteen  hundred  men,  into  the  western  counties 
of  Pennsylvania  ;  and,  on  the  approach  of  this  re 
spectable  force,  the  insurgents  laid  down  their  arms; 
solicited  the  clemency  of  government  ;  and  promis 
ed  future  submission  to  the  laws." 

Holmes1  Annals  U.  States. 


(92.)   Yellow  Fever  in  Philadelphia,  in  1793. 

The  Yellow  Fever,  which  has  been  the  scourge 
of  most  of  our  principal  southern  cities,  appears  to 
have  been  in  existence  ever  since  the  first  settle 
ment  of  our  country.  What  the  first  cause  of  this 
disease  is,  or  how  it  is  propagated,  are  subjects  up 
on  which  physicians  have  a  variety  of  opinions.—- 
The  most  remarkable  and  fatal  instance  of  the  prev 
alence  of  the  Yellow  Fever  in  our  country,  is  that 
which  occurred  in  Philadelphia  in  1793, 

The  following  description  is  taken  from  Dr.  Rush's 
account  of  the  Yellow  Fever.  This  distinguished 
physician  continued  in  the  city  during  the  whole  of 
this  calamitous  period,  and  rendered  himself  con 
spicuous  by  his  humanity  and  courage,  amidst  the 
appalling  scenes  of  contagion,  and  his  skill  in  com 
bating  this  destructive  disorder.  It  commenced 
early  in  August,  and  continued  till  about  the  9th  of 
1-5 


166 

November,  during  which  time  four  thousand  persons 
died  out  of  a  population  of  60,000.  Its  greatest 
height  was  at  about  the  middle  of  October,  when 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  persons  died  in  one  day. 

"  The  disease,  (says  Dr.  Rush,)  appeared  in  ma 
ny  parts  of  the  town,  remote  from  the  spot  where 
it  originated  ;  although  in  every  instance  it  wras  easi 
ly  traced  to  it.  This  set  the  city  in  motion.  The 
streets  and  roads  leading  from  the  city  were  crow 
ded  with  families  flying  in  every  direction  for  safety 
to  the  country.  Business  began  to  languish.  Wa 
ter-street,  between  Market  and  Race-streets,  became 
a  desert.  The  poor  were  the  first  victims  of  the 
fever.  From  the  sudden  interruption  of  business, 
they  suffered  for  a  while  from  poverty,  as  well  as 
disease.  A  large  and  airy  house  at  Bush-hill  about 
a  mile  from  the  city,  was  opened  for  their  recep 
tion.  This  house,  after  it  became  the  charge  of  a 
committee  appointed  by  the  citizens  on  the  14th  of 
September,  was  regulated  and  governed  with  the  or 
der  and  cleanliness  of  an  old  and  established  hos 
pital.  An  American  and  French  physician  had  the 
exclusive  medical  care  of  it  after  the  22d  of  Sep 
tember. 

The  contagion,  after  the  second  week  in  Septem 
ber,  spared  no  rank  of  citizens.  Whole  families 
were  confined  by  it.  There  was  a  deficiency  of 
nurses  for  the  sick,  and  many  of  those  wrho  were 
employed  were  unqualified  for  their  business. 
There  was  likewise  a  great  deficiency  of  physi 
cians,  from  the  desertion  of  some,  and  the  sickness 
and  death  of  others.  At  one  time,  there  were  on 
ly  three  physicians  who  were  able  to  do  business 
out  of  their  houses,  and  at  this  time,  there  were 
probably  not  less  than  6,000  persons  ill  with  the 
fever. 


167 

jOuring  the  first  three  or  four  weeks  of  the  prev 
alence  of  the  disorder,  I  seldom  went  into  a  house 
the  first  time,  without  meeting  the  parents  or  children 
of  the  sick  in  tears.  Many  wept  aloud  in  my  en 
try,  or  parlor,  who  came  to  ask  advice  for  their  re 
lations.  Grief,  after  a  while  descended  below 
weeping,  and  1  was  much  struck  in  observing  that 
many  persons  submitted  to  the  loss  of  relations  and 
friends,  without  shedding  a  tear,  or  manifesting  any 
other  of  the  common  signs  of  grief. 

A  cheerful  countenance  was  scarcely  to  be  seen 
in  the  city  for  six  weeks.  1  recollect  once,  in  enter 
ing  the  house  of  a  poor  man,  to  have  met  a  child  of 
two  years  old  that  smiled  in  my  face.  I  was 
strangely  affected  with  this  sight  (so  discordant  to 
my  feelings  and  the  state  of  the  city)  before  I  recol 
lected  the  age  and  ignorance  of  the  child.  I  was 
confined  the  next  day  by  an  attack  of  the  fever,  and 
was  sorry  to  hear  upon  my  recovery,  that  the  father 
and  mother  of  this  little  creature  died,  a  few  clays 
after  my  last  visit  to  them. 

The  streets  every  where  discovered  marks  of  the 
distresss  that  pervaded  the  city.  More  than  one 
half  the  houses  were  shut  up,  although  not  more 
than  one  third  of  the  inhabitants  had  fled  into  the 
country.  In  walking,  for  many  hundred  yards,  few 
persons  were  met,  except  such  as  were  in  quest  of 
a  physician,  a  nurse,  a  bleeder,  or  the  men  who  buri 
ed  the  dead.  The  hearse  alone  kept  up  the  remem 
brance  of  the  noise  of  carriages  or  carls  in  the 
streets.  Funeral  procesions  were  laid  aside.  A 
black  man,  leading  or  driving  a  horse,  with  a  corpse 
on  a  pair  of  chair  wheels,  with  now  and  then  half  a 
dozen  relations  or  friends  following  at  a  distance 
from  it,  met  the  eye  in  most  of  the  streets  of  the 
city  at  every  hour  of  the  day,  while  the  noise  of 


168 

the  same  wheels  passing  slowly  over  the  pavement 
kept  alive  anguish  and  fear  in  the  sick  and  well,  ev- 
ory  hour  of  the  night." 


(93.)  Gen.  Waynes  Victory  over  the  Indians* 

In  1790, an  Indian  war  opened  on  the  northwestern 
frontier  of  the  States.  Pacific  arrangements  had 
been  attempted  by  the  President  with  the  hostile 
tribes  in  Ohio,  without  effect.  On  their  failure,- 
Gen.  Harmer  was  sent  with  about  1400  men  to  re 
duce  them  to  terms.  In  this  expedition  Harmer  suc 
ceeded  in  destroying  a  few  villages,  and  a  quantity 
of  grain  belonging  to  the  Indians  ;  but  in  an  en 
gagement  with  them  near  Chillicolhe,  he  was  de 
feated  with  considerable  loss.  Upon  the  failure  of 
Harmer,  Gen.  St.  Clair  was  appointed  to  succeed 
him.  With  an  army  of  nearly  1500  men,  St.  Clair 
suffered  himself  to  be  surprised,  with  the  loss  of  630 
men  killed  and  missed,  and  260  were  wounded. 
Among  the  killed  was  Gen.  Butler,  who,  being 
wounded  in  the  engagement,  was  carried  off  the 
field ;  an  Indian,  discovering  the  place  where  he 
lay,  killed  him  with  his  tomahawk  before  any  one 
could  come  to  his  assistance. 

This  action  took  place  near  the  Miami,  on  the  4th 
of  Nov.  1791.  The  Indians  still  continuing  hostile, 
Gen.  Wayne  was  appointed  to  succeed  Gen.  St.  Clair. 
Failing  to  conclude  a  treaty,  Wayne,  with  a  force  of 
900  men,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1794,  attacked  a 
body  of  2000  Indians,  on  the  banks  of  the  Miami. 
The  Indians  were  totally  routed,  a  great  number 
killed,  and  their  whole  country  laid  waste*  "By 
means  of  this  victory  over  the  Miamis,  a  general 
war  with  the  Six  Nations,  and  all  the  tribes  Horth- 
west  of  the  Ohio,  was  prevented." 


163 

;t  Th  the  year  after,  Wayne  concluded,  at  Green 
ville,  treaties  with  the  hostile  Indians  north-west  of 
the  Ohio ;  by  which  peace  was  established,  on 
terms  mutually  satisfactory  and  beneficial.  A  hu 
mane  system  now  commenced  for  ameliorating  their 
condition.  They  were,  henceforth,  protected  by 
the  United  States  from  the  impositions  and  incur 
sions  of  lawless  white  people ;  taught  the  use  of  the 
loom  ;  and  encouraged  in  the  pursuits  of  agriculture  : 
measures  reflecting  high  praise  on  Colonel  Hawkins, 
who  was  amongst  the  first  to  execute  the  benevolent 
intentions,  originally  projected  by  the  humane  spirit 
of  General  Washington.*" 


(94.)  Difficulties  with  the  French. 

In  1797,  France  wished  to  involve  America  in  her 
European  wars ;  but  finding  her  maintaining  a  steady 
system  of  neutrality,  she  adopted  measures  highly 
injurious  to  the  American  commerce,  and  many  ves 
sels  were  taken  and  confiscated.  The  American 
Government  sent  envoys  to  France,  in  order  to  settle 
the  differences.  Before  the  French  government 
would  acknowledge  the  envoys,  money,  by  way  of 
tribute,  was  demanded — this  was  refused.  "  These 
events  were  followed  by  depredations  on  American, 
commerce,  by  the  citizens  of  France  ;  which  excited 

general  indignation  throughout  the  United  States. 
ivil  discord  appeared  extinct ;  and  this  was  the 
general  motto  ; — "  Millions  for  defence,  not  a  cent 
for  tributes'*  The  treaty  of  alliance  with  France 
was  considered  by  Congress  as  no  longer  in  force  ; 
and  further  measures  were  adopted  by  Congress,  foe 

*  Grimshaw. 
IS* 


170 

retaliation  and  defence.  A  regular  provisional  army 
was  established,  taxes  were  raised,  and  additiona'l 
internal  duties  laid.  General  Washington,  at  the 
call  of  Congress,  left  his  peaceful  abode  to  command 
the  armies  of  the  United  States,  while  General  Ham 
ilton  was  made  second  in  command.  The  navy  was 
increased,  and  reprisals  were  made  on  the  water. 
At  sea,  the  French  frigate  L'Insurgente,  of  forty 
guns,  was  captured  after  a  desperate  action,  by  the 
frigate  Constitution,  of  thirty-eight  guns,  commanded 
by  Commodore  Truxton.  The  same  officer  com 
pelled  another  frigate  of  fifty  guns  to  strike  her 
colors  ;  but  she  afterwards  escaped  in  the  night. 

On  hearing  of  these  vigorous  preparations,  the 
French  government  indirectly  made  overtures  for  a 
renewal  of  the  negotiations.  Mr.  Adams  promptly 
met  these  overtures,  and  appointed  OliverEllsworlh, 
Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States,  Patrick  Henry, 
late  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  William  Van  Murray, 
?*Iinister  at  the  Hague,  envoys  to  Paris  for  conclu 
ding  an  honourable  peace.  They  found  the  direc 
tory  overthrown,  and  the  government  in  the  hands 
of  Napoleon  Buonaparte,  who  had  not  partaker/ in 
the  transactions  which  had  embroiled  the  two  coun 
tries,  With  him  negotiations  were  opened,  which 
terminated  in  an  amicable  adjustment  of  all  disputes0 
The  provisional  army  was  soon  after  disbanded  by 
order  of  Congress." — WillarcPs  History  U.  States. 


(95.)  Death  of  Washington, 

On  the  14th  of  December,  1799,  Gen.  Washing, 
ton  expired  at  his  seat,  at  Mount  Vernon,  in  Virginia, 
leaving  a  nation  to  mourn  his  loss,  and  to  embalnl 
his  memory  with  their  tears". 


171- 

The  disorder  of  which  Gen.  Washington  died4 
was  an  inflammatory  affection  of  the  windpipe,  oc 
casioned  by  an  exposure  to  a  light  rain,  while  at 
tending,  the  day  before,  to  some  improvements  oa 
his  estate. 

The  disease  at  its  commencement  was  violent, 
and  medical  skill  was  applied  in  vain.  Respiration, 
became  more  and  more  contracted  and  imperfect, 
until  half  past  eleven  o'clock  on  Saturday  night, 
when,  retaining  the  full  possession  of  his  intellect, 
he  expired  without  a  groan. 

On  the  melancholy  occasion,  the  Senate  addressed  to  the 
President,  a  letter,  in  which  they  say  ;  t%  Permit  us,  sir,  to 
mingle  our  tears  with  yours.  On  this  occasion,  it  is  manly 
to  weep.  To  lose  such  a  man,  at  such  a  crisis,  is  no  common 
calamity  to  the  world.  Our  country  mourns  a  father.  The 
Almighty  Disposer  of  events  has  taken  from  us  our  greatest 
benefactor  and  ornament.  It  becomes  us  to  submit  with  rev 
erence  to  HIM  who  maketh  darkness  his  pavilion. 

"  With  patriotic  pride  we  review  the  life  of  Washington, 
and  compare  him  with  those  of  other  countries  who  have  been 
pre-eminent  in  favor.  Ancient  and  modern  names  are  di 
minished  before  him.  Greatness  and  guilt  have  too  often  been 
allied  ;  but  Ms  fame  is  whiter  than  it  is  brilliant.  The  de 
stroyers  of  nations  stood  abashed  at  the  majesty  of  his  virtues. 
It  reproved  the  intemperance  of  their  ambition,  and  darkened 
the  splendor  of  victory. 

"  The  scene  is  closed  ;  and  we  are  no  longer  anxious  lest 
misfortune  should  sully  his  glory.  He  has  travelled  on  to  the 
end  of  his  journey,  and  carried  with  him  an  increasing  weight 
of  honor.  He  has  deposited  it  safely,  where  misfortune  can 
not  tarnish  it ;  where  malice  cannot  blast  it.  Favored  of 
heaven,  he  departed  without  exhibiting  the  weakness  of  hu 
manity  ;  magnanimous  in  death,  the  darkness  of  the  grave 
could  not  obscure  his  brightness." 

The  committee  appointed  to  devise  some  mode  by 
which  to  express  the  national  feelings,  recommend 
ed  that  a  marble  monument  be  erected  by  the  UnU 
fed  States,  at  the  city  of  Washington,  to  comment 


172 

rate  the  great  events  of  Washington's  military  and 
political  life  :  that  a  funeral  oration  be  delivered  by 
a  member  of  Congress  :  that  the  President  be  re 
quested  to  write  a  letter  of  condolence  to  Mrs. 
Washington  :  and  that  it  be  recommended  to  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  to  wear  crape  on  the 
left  arm  for  thirty  days. 

These  resolutions  passed  both  houses  unanimous 
ly.  The  whole  nation  appeared  in  mourning.  The 
funeral  procession  at  the  city  of  Washington  was 
grand  and  solemn,  and  the  eloquent  oration,  deliver 
ed  on  the  occasion  by  Gen.  Henry  Lee,  was  heard 
with  profound  attention,  and  with  deep  interest. 

Throughout  the  United  States,  similar  marks  of 
affliction  were  exhibited.  Funeral  orations  were 
delivered,  and  the  best  talents  devoted  to  an  expres 
sion  of  grief,  at  the  loss  of  u  the  man,  first  in  war, 
first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  fellow- 
citizens." — Goodrich's  Hist.  U.  States. 


(96.)  Dr.  Franklin? s  experiments  in  Electricity. 

In  the  summer  of  1752,  Dr.  Franklin  was  enabled 
to  make  a  grand  and  unparalleled  discovery  re 
specting  Electricity,  by  an  experiment. 

At  this  time  the  subject  of  Electricity  was  a  new 
science,  and  the  philosophers  of  Europe  were  busy 
with  it.  Dr.  Franklin,  in  his  studies  and  reasonings 
on  the  subject,  took  up  the  idea  that  the  thunder  and 
lightning  of  the  heavens  were  caused  by  electricity, 
and  conceived  the  bold  idea,  that  the  electric  fluid 
might  be  conducted,  by  sharp  pointed  iron  rods,  rais 
ed  upon  houses,  ships,  &c.,  to  the  ground  or  water, 
and  thus  preserve  them  from  injury. 

He  was  determined  to  make  an  experiment,  to  test 


173 

the  truth  of  his  theory.  He  accordingly  prepared  a 
kite,  which  he  made  by  fastening  two  cross  sticks  to 
a  silk  handkerchief,  which  would  not  suffer  so  much 
from  the  rain  as  paper.  To  the  upright  stick  he 
affixed  an  iron  point.  The  string  was,  as  usual,  01 
hemp,  except  the  lower  end,  which  was  silk.  At 
the  lower  end  of  the  string  he  tied  a  key.  Perceiv 
ing  a  thunder  storm  coming  on,  Dr.  Franklin,  ac 
companied  by  his  son,  went  out  back  of  Philadel 
phia,  on  the  common,  and  raised  his  kite  towards 
the  clouds. 

A  thunder  cloud  passed  over  it — no  sign  ef  elec 
tricity  appeared.  He  almost  despaired  of  success  ; 
when,  suddenly,  he  observed  the  lose  fibres  ol  his 
string  to  move  towards  an  erect  position.  He  now 
presented  his  knuckle  to  the  key  and  received  a 
strong  spark.  Repeated  sparks  were  drawn  from 
the  key,  a  phial  was  charged,  a  shock  given,  and  all 
the  experiments  made,  which  are  usually  performed 
with  electricity. 

By  this  and  other  experiments,  Franklin's  theory 
was  established  in  the  mosi  convincing  manner. 
When  it  was  known  that  an  American,  an  inhabitant 
of  the  obscure  city  of  Philadelphia,  should  be  able 
to  make  discoveries  and  to  frame  theories,  which 
had  escaped  the  notice  of  the  enlightened  philoso 
phers  of  Europe,  it  was  quite  mortifying  to  the 
pride  of  their  scientific  societies. 


(97.)  Invention  of  Steam  Boats. 

The  first  successful  application  of  steam  for  the 
purpose  of  propelling  boats,  was  accomplished   by 
bert  Fulton,  a  native  of  the  Stale  of  Pennsylvania. 
Mr,  Fulton's  inventive  genius  displayed  itself  at 


174 

an  early  age.  It  seems  that  as  early  as  the  year 
1793,  he  had  conceived  the  idea  of  propelling  ves 
sels  by  steam,  and  he  speaks  in  some  of  his  writings 
with  great  confidence  of  its  practicability. 

After  a  number  of  years  residence  in  Europe,  and 
making  a  variety  of  experiments  both  in  that  coun 
try  and  in  this,  his  labors  were  finally  crowned  with 
success. 

In  the  spring  of  1807,  the  first  steam  boat  built  in 
this  country  was  lanched  from  a  ship  yard  in  New- 
York,  on  the  East-River.  The  engine  which  he 
procured  from  England  was  put  on  board  in  Au- 

fust,  and  the  boat  was  completed,  and  moved  by 
er  machinery  to  the  Jersey  shore.  This  boat, 
which  was  called  the  Clermont,  soon  after  sailed  for 
Albany,  which  voyage  she  accomplished,  going  at 
the  rate  of  about  five  miles  an  hour  5  she  afterwards 
became  a  rcu,ular  passage  boat  between  New-York 
and  Albany.  From  the  time  that  this  boat  was  put 
in  motion,  this  noble  invention  has  been  rapidly 
extended ;  till  it  is  now  used  in  every  part  of  the 
civilized  world. 


(98.)   Wars  with  the  Barbary  States. 

War  with  Tripoli. — In  1803.  Congress  sent  out  a 
squadron  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Preble 
to  the  Mediterranean,  to  protect  the  American  com 
merce,  and  to  bring  the  Tripolitans  to  submission. 
The  Tripolitan  cruisers  had  long  annoyed  our  com 
merce — many  merchantmen  had  been  taken,  and 
their  crews  imprisoned,  and  cruelly  used. 

After  having  taken  a  number  of  the  enemy's  ves 
sels,  Com.  Preble  arrived  before  Tripoli  and  blocka 
ded  the  harbour :  his  force  consisted  of  1  frigate. 


175 

3  brigs,  3  schooners,  and  six  gun-boats.  The  num 
ber  of  men  engaged  in  the  service  amounted  to  one 
thousand  and  sixty.  With  this  force,  Preble  re 
peatedly  attacked  and  bombarded  the  city,  although 
it  was  defended  by  a  castle  and  batteries,  on  which 
were  mounted  115  pieces  of  cannon;  besides  this 
they  had  armed  vessels  in  the  harbor.  In  addition 
to  the  ordinary  Turkish  garrison,  and  the  crews  of  the 
armed  vessels,  estimated  at  3000,  upwards  of  20,000 
Arabs  had  been  assembled  for  the  defence  of  the 
city.*  Such,  however,  was  the  effect  of  American 
bravery,  that  the  haughty  Bashaw  was  chastised 
into  a  peace,  which  was  negociated  by  Col.  Lear, 
the  American  Consul.  The  Pope  made  a  public 
declaration,  that  "  the  United  States,  though  in 
their  infancy,  had  in  this  affair  done  more  to  humble 
the  anti-christian  barbarians,  on  that  coast,  than  all 
the  European  states  had  done  for  a  long  series  of 
time." 

Closely  connected  with  the  above,  is  the  celebra 
ted  Expedition  of  Gen.  Eaton,  across  the  desert  of 
Barca.  "  It  happened  that  some  time  before  this, 
the  then  reigning  Bashaw  of  Tripoli,  Jussuf,  third 
son  of  the  late  Bashaw,  had  murdered  his  father  and 
eldest  brother,  and  proposed  to  murder  the  second, 
in  order  to  possess  himself  of  the  throne.  But  the 
latter,  Hamet  Caramelli,  made  his  escape,  and  Jus 
suf,  without  further  opposition,  usurped  the  govern 
ment. 

Hamet  took  refuge  in  Egypt,  where  he  was  kindly 
treated  by  the  Beys.  Here  he  was,  on  the  arrival 
of  an  accredited  agent  of  the  United  States,  (Gene 
ral  Eaton,)  who  revived  his  almost  expiring  hopes 
tpf  regaining  his  rightful  kingdom. 

*  JSaval  Temple, 


176 

Gen.  Eaton,  had  been  Consul  for  the  United 
States  up  the  Mediterranean,  and  was  returning 
home  when  he  heard  of  the  situation  of  Hamet. 
Conceiving  a  plan  of  liberating  the  Americans  in 
captivity  at  Tripoli,  by  means  of  the  assistance  of 
Hamet,  and,  at  the  same  time,  of  restoring  this  exile 
to  his  throne,  he  advised  with  Hamet,  who  readily 
listened  to  the  project,  and  gave  his  co-operation. 

A  convention  was  accordingly  entered  into  be 
tween  Gen.  Eaton,  on  the  part  of  the  United  States, 
and  Hamet,  by  which  the  latter  stipulated  much  in 
favor  of  the  Americans,  and  was  promised  to  be  re 
stored  to  his  throne. 

With  a  small  force,  consisting  of  seamen  from  the 
American  squadron,  the  followers  of  Hamet,  and 
some  Egyptian  troops,  Gen.  Eaton  and  Hamet,  with 
incredible  toil  and  suffering,  passed  the  desert  of 
Barca  and  took  possession  of  Derne,  the  capital  of 
a  large  province  belonging  to  the  kingdom  of  Tripo 
li.  The  forces  of  Eaton  were  now  so  much  increas 
ed,  and  the  cause  of  Hamet  had  become  so  popular, 
that  the  prospect  was  flattering,  of  his  being  able  to 
reduce  the  city  of  Tripoli,  and  of  effecting  the  libe 
ration  of  the  captives  without  ransom. 

The  successes  of  Eaton  struck  the  usurper 
Jussuf  with  terror;  trembling  for  his  fate,  in  this 
juncture  he  proposed  to  Mr.  Lear,  the  Consul-gen 
eral  of  America,  then  in  the  Mediterranean,  to  enter 
into  negotiation.  Mr.  Lear,  who  was  authorized  to 
enter  into  a  negotiation,  accepted  the  proposal,  al 
though  he  knew  of  the  success  of  Eaton,  and  Hamet, 
and  a  treaty  ensued.  Eaton  and  Hamet  were  con* 
sequently  arrested  in  the  prosecution  of  their  pur 
pose,  and  the  unfortunate  exile  failed  of  his  pro 
mised  restoration  to  the  throne.* 
*  Goodrich's  U.  S, 


177 

Algerine    War. — Soon   after    the    ratification   of 
peace  with  Great  Britain,  in  February,   1815,  Con 
gress,  in  consequence  of  the  hostile  conduct  of  the 
Regency  of  Algiers,  declared  war  against  that  power. 
A  squadron   was  immediately  sent  out  under   the 
command  of  Commodore   Decatur,  (who  had  for 
merly  highly  distinguished  himself  in  the  Tripolitan 
war,)  consisting  of  three  frigates,  two  sloops  of  war, 
and  four  schooners.     With  this  force  Com.  Decatur 
sailed  from  New- York,  May  20th,  1815,  and  arrived 
in  the  bny  of  Gibraltar  in  twenty-five  days.     On  the 
17th  of  June,  off  Cape  de  Gatt,  he  captured  the  Al- 
gerine  frigate  Mazouda,  after  a  running  fight  of  25 
minutes.     After  the  second  broadside  the  Algerines 
ran  below.     In  this  affair  the  famous  Algerine  Ad 
miral,   or  Rais  Hammida,   who  had  long  been  the 
terror  of  this  sea,  was  cut  in  two  by  a  cannon  shot. 
On  the  19th  of  June,  off  Cape  Palos,  the  squadron 
captured  an   Algerine   brig    of    twenty-two   guns. 
From  Cape  Palos  the  American  squadron  proceeded 
to  Algiers,  where  it  arrived  on  the  28th  of  June. 
Decatur  immediately  dispatched  a  letter  from  the 
President  of  the  United  States  to  the  Dey,  in  order 
to  afford   him   a  fair   opportunity  for   negotiation. 
The  Captain  of  the  port  was  immediately  sent  to  the 
squadron  on  receipt  of  this  letter,  accompanied  by 
the  Swedish  Consul ;  and  Commodore  Decatur,  who, 
with  Mr.  Shaler,  had  been  empowered  to  negotiate 
a  treaty,  proposed  a  basis,  on  which  alone  he  would 
consent  to  enter  into  a  treaty      This  was  the  abso 
lute  and  unqualified  relinquishment  of  any  demand 
of  tribute,  on  the  part  of  the  Regency.     To  this  the 
Captain  demurred      But  being  informed  of  the  cap 
ture  of  the  frigate  and  brig,  and  the  death  of  Ham- 
mida,  he  was  unnerved,  and  agreed  to  negotiate  on 
the  proposed  basis.     The  model  of  the  treaty  was 
16 


178 

sent  to  the  Bey,  who  signed  it.  The  principal  arti 
cles  in  this  treaty  were,  that  no  tribute,  under  any 
circumstances  whatever,  should  be  required  by  Al 
giers  from  the  United  States  of  America  ;  that  all 
Americans  in  slavery  should  be  given  up  without 
ransom  ;  that  compensation  should  be  made  for 
American  vessels,  or  property  seized  or  detained  at 
Algiers  ;  that  the  persons  and  property  of  Ameri 
cans,  found  on  board  of  an  enemy's  vessel,  should 
be  sacred  ;  that  vessels  of  either  party  putting  into 
port  should  be  supplied  at  market  price  ;  that  if  a 
vessel  of  either  party  should  be  cast  on  the  shore, 
she  should  not  be  plundered,  &c.  The  rights  of 
American  citizens  on  the  ocean,  and  the  land,  were, 
generally  fully  provided  for,  in  every  instance ;  and 
it  was  particularly  slipulated,  that  all  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  taken  in  war,  should  be  treated  as 
prisoners  of  war  are  treated  by  other  nations  ;  held 
subject  to  an  exchange  without  ransom.  After  con 
cluding  this  treaty,  so  highly  honorable  and  advan 
tageous  to  our  country,  the  commissioners  gave  up 
the  frigate  and  brig,  which  had  been  captured,  to 
their  former  owners. 

After  this,  Commodore  Decatur  visited  Tunis  and 
Tripoli,  demanded  and  obtained  compensation  for 
injuries  done  American  citizens  by  those  powers. 


(99.)  Burros  Conspiracy. 

In  the  autumn  of  1 806,  a  project  was  detected,  at 
the  head  of  which  was  Col.  Burr,  for  revolutionizing 
the  territory  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  and  of  estab 
lishing  an  independent  empire  there,  of  which  New- 
Orleans  was  to  be  the  capital,  and  himself  the  chief. 
Towards  ike  accomplishment  of  this  scheme,  which 


179 

it  afterwards  appeared  had  been  some  time  in  con 
templation,  the  skilful  cunning  and  intrigue  of  Col. 
Burr  were  directed.  Happily,  however,  govern 
ment  being  apprised  of  his  designs,  arrested  him, 
while  as  yet  he  had  few  adherents  and  before  his 
standard  was  raised.  He  was  brought  to  trial  at 
Richmond,  on  a  charge  of  treason  committed  within 
the  district  of  Virginia  ;  but  no  overt  act  being 
proved  against  him  in  that  State,  he  was  released. 

In  addition  to  this  project,  Col.  Burr  had  formed 
another,  which  in  case  of  failure  in  the  first,  might  be 
carried  on  independently  of  it : — ihis  was  an  attack 
en  Mexico,  and  the  establishment  of  an  empire 
there.*  "  A  third  object  was  provided,  merely  os 
tensible,  to  wit,  the  settlement  of  the  pretended  pur 
chase  of  a  tract  of  country  on  the  Washita,  claimed 
by  a  Baron  Bastrop.  This  was  to  serve  as  a  pre 
text  for  all  his  preparations,  an  allurement  for  such 
followers  as  really  wished  to  acquire  settlements  in 
that  country,  and  a  cover  under  which  to  retreat  in 
the  event  of  a  final  discomfiture  of  both  branches  of 
his  real  designs." 

"  He  found  at  once  that  the  attachment  of  the  west 
ern  country  to  the  present  Union  was  not  to  be 
shaken  :  that  its  dissolution  could  not  be  effected 
with  the  consent  of  the  inhabitants  :  and  that  his  re 
sources  were  inadequate,  as  yet,  to  effect  it  by  force. 
He  determined,  therefore,  to  seize  New- Orleans, 
plunder  the  bank  there,  possess  himself  of  the  mili 
tary  and  naval  stores,  and  proceed  on  his  expedition 
to  Mexico. 

He  collected,  therefore,  from  all  quarters,  where 

himself  or  his  agents   possessed  influence,  all  the 

ardent,  restless,  desperate,  disnffrcfe;;  prrsons,  who 

were  for  an  enterprise  J»OP!O  >ous  to  their  characters. 

*  Goodrich's  Hist.  U.  S. 


180 


He  also  seduced  good  and  well  meaning  citizens, 
some  by  assurances  that  he  possessed  the  confi 
dence  of  the  government,  and  was  acting  under  its 
secret  patronage  ;  and  others  by  offers  of  land  in 
Bastrop's  claim  in  the  Washita."* 


(100.)  Expedition  of  Captains  Lewis  and  Clarke  to 
the  Pacific  Ocean. 

In  the  year  1803,  the  extensive  Territory  of  Lou 
isiana  was  purchased  from  the  French  government, 
by  President  Jefferson,  for  fifteen  millions  of  dollars. 
Upon  the  acquisition  of  the  new  territory,  the  atten 
tion  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  was  di 
rected  towards  exploring  the  country.  According 
ly,  Captains  Lewis  and  Clarke,  and  a  party  of  25 
men,  who  were  enlisted  for  the  purpose,  were  sent 
on  this  expedition.  The  party  proceeded  to  the 
mouth  of  Wood  River,  near  St.  Louis,  and  on  the 
14th  of  May,  1804.  with  three  boats,  began  the  te 
dious  and  difficult  expedition  of  exploring  the  vast 
wilderness  before  them.  Following  the  course  of 
the  Missouri,  they  arrived,  in  October,  at  the  Man- 
dan  villages,  where  they  built  a  kind  of  fort  and  en 
camped  for  the  winter.  In  April  they  left  thciren- 
campment,  and  with  two  large  boats  and  six  small 
canoes  proceeded  on  their  expedition.  On  the  12th 
of  August,  1805,  they  discovered  the  sources  of  the 
Missouri,  the  longest  river  in  the  known  world,  if 
we  add  the  distance  after  it  unites  with  the  Missis 
sippi,  to  the  ocean,  it  being  almost  4,500  miles  long. 
After  following  the  course  of  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  a 
mountain,  it  became  so  diminished  in  width  that  one 
of  the  men,  in  a  fit  of  enthusiasm,  with  one  foot  on 

*  President's  Message  to  Congress,  July  21,  1807, 


181 

each  side  of  the  river,  thanked  God  that  he  had  lived 
to  bestride  the  Missouri.  After  they  went  about  4 
miles,  they  reached  a  small  gap,  formed  by  the  high 
mountains,  which  recede  on  each  side,  leaving  room 
for  an  Indian  road.  "From  the  foot  of  one  of  the 
lowest  of  these  mountains,  which  rises  with  an  ascent 
of  about  half  a  mile,  issues  the  remotest  water  of  the 
Missouri." 

After  they  had  quenched  their  thirst  at  the  foun 
tain,  they  sot  down  by  the  brink  of  the  little  rivulet, 
and  felt  themselves  rewarded  for  their  labor  and 
difficulties,  in  thus  attaining  one  of  the  grand  objects 
of  their  expedition. 

Leaving  this  interesting  spot,  they,  pursuing  the 
Indian  path  through  the  interval  of  the  hills,  arrived 
at  the  top  of  a  ridge,  from  whence  they  saw  high 
mountains,  partially  covered  with  snow,  still  to  the 
west  of  them.  The  ridge  on  which  they  stood 
formed  the  dividing*  line  between  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans.  They  followed  the 
d  >scent  of  the  ridge,  and  at  the  distance  of  three 
ijuarters  of  a  mile,  reached  a  bold  creek  of  clear, 
cold  water,  running  to  the  westward.  They  stopped 
to  taste,  for  the  first  time,  the  waters  of  the  Columbia. 

Having  proceeded  as  far  as  they  could  with 
canoes,  they  were  obliged  to  leave  them  and  pur 
chase  horses  of  the  natives,  with  which  they  crossed 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  performing  this  journey 
they  were  reduced  to  great  straits,  being  obliged  to 
kill  some  of  their  horses  for  food.  After  passing 
several  ranges  of  steep  and  rugged  mountains,  they 
descended  the  Columbia  River,  till  it  discharges 
itself  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  they  arrived 
November  14th,  1805.  They  encamped  for  the 
winter,  and,  on  the  23d  of  March,  1806,  set  out  on 
-their  return  to  the  United  States.  After  encounter^ 


182 

ing  many  dangers,  hardships  and  privations,  they 
finally  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  on  the  23d  of 
September,  1806.  The  route  which  the  party  took 
from  St.  Louis  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  was  a  distance 
of  4.134  miles. 

In  returning,  they  passed  upon  a  better  and  more 
direct  route,  shortening  the  distance  to  3,555  miles, 
from  the  Pacific  to  St.  Louis. 


(101.)  Second  War  with  Great  Britain. 

Causes  of  the  War.  Embargo.  Declaration  of 
War. — The  remote  causes  of  the  second  War  with 
Great  Britain  appear  to  have  arisen  from  the  war 
existing  between  that  power  and  France.  America 
endeavored  to  maintain  a  strict  neutrality, and  peace 
ably  to  continue  a  commerce  with  them.  Jealousies, 
however,  arose  between  the  contending  powers, 
with  respect  to  the  conduct  of  America,  and  events 
occurred,  calculated  to  injure  her  commerce,  and  to 
disturb  her  peace.  The  Berlin  Decree  of  1 806,  and 
that  of  Milan,  in  the  succeeding  year,  (both  issued 
by  the  French  government,  to  prevent  the  American 
flag  from  trading  with  their  enemy,)  were  followed 
by  the  British  Orders  in  Council ;  no  less  extensive 
than  the  former,  in  the  design,  and  equally  repug 
nant  to,  the  law  of  nations.  In  addition  to  these 
circumstances,  a  cause  of  irritation  existed  some 
time  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain. 
This  was  the  right  of  search,  claimed  by  Great  Brit 
ain,  as  one  of  her  prerogatives.  This  was  to  take 
her  native  born  subjects,  wherever  found,  for  her 
navy,  and  to  search  American  vessels  for  that  pur 
pose.  Notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  the 
American  government,  the  officers  of  the  British 


navy,  were  not  unfrequenlly  seizing  native  born  Brit- 
ish  subjects,  who  had  voluntarily  enlisted  on  board 
of  our  vessels,  and  had  also  impressed  into  the  Brit 
ish  service  some  thousands  of  American  seamen. 

"  On  the  22d  of  June,  1807,  the  indignation  of  the 
country 'was  aroused  by  the  attack  on  the  American 
frigate  Chesapeake,  o  ;  the  Capes  of  Virginia,  by 
the  British  frigate  Leopard  ;  four  men  were  killed 
and  sixteen  were  wounded,  on  board  the  Chesa* 
peake,  and  four  seamen  impressed,  three  of  which 
were  natives  of  America."* 

In  consequence  of  the  British  and  French  decrees, 
a  general  capture  of  all  American  property  on  the 
seas  seemed  almost  inevitable.  Congress,  there 
fore,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  President,  on  the 
22d  of  December,  1807,  laid  an  embargo  on  all  ves 
sels  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States. 
"  In  a  moment,  the  commerce  of  the  American  Re 
public,  from  being,  in  point  of  extent,  the  second  in 
the  world,  was  reduced  to  a  coasting  trade  between 
the  individual  States.''  The  opposition  to  the  act  in 
several  States  was  so  great,  that  they  declared 
against  it,  and  individuals  throughout  the  whole, 
seized  every  opportunity  of  infringement.  In  1 809r 
Congress  repealed  the  embargo  law,  and  substituted 
a  non-intercourse  with  France  and  England. 

On  the  1 8th  of  June,  1812,  an  act  was  passed  de* 
claring  war  against  Great  Britain.  This  act  passed 
the  House  of  Representatives  by  a  majority  of  79  to 
49;  in  the  Senate  by  a  majority  of  19  to  13.  In  the 
Manifesto  of  the  President,  the  reasons  of  the  wac 
were  stated  to  be  "  the  impressment  of  American 
seamen  by  the  British ;  the  blockade  of  her  enemies5 
,  supported  by  no  adequate  force,  in  conse* 

*Grimshaw's  Hist.  U.  States 


184 

quence  of  which  the  American  commerce  had  been 
plundered  in  every  sea  ;  and  the  British  orders  in 
council." 


(102.)  Mob  in  Baltimore. 

A  few  days  after  the  declaration  of  war,  the  town 
of  Baltimore  was  seriously  disturbed.  Some  harsh 
strictures  on  the  conduct  of  government  having  ap* 
peared  in  a  newspaper  of  that  city,  entitled  the 
"  Federal  Republican,"  the  resentment  of  the  op 
posite  party  was  shown  by  destroying  the  office  and 
press  of  that  establishment.  The  commotion  excited 
by  this  outrage,  had,  however,  in  a  great  measure, 
subsided,  and  the  transaction  was  brought  before  a 
criminal  court  for  investigation.  But  events  more 
alarming  and  tragical  shortly  afterwards  succeeded. 
On  the  26th  of  July,  Mr.  Hanson,  the  leading  editor 
of  the  obnoxious  journal,  who  had  deemed  it  prudent 
to  leave  the  disordered  city,  returned  ;  accompanied 
by  his  political  adherents  ;  amongst  'whom,  was 
General  Henry  Lee,  of  Alexandria  ;  an  officer  dis 
tinguished  in  the  Revolution,  for  his  bravery  in  par 
tisan  warfare  at  the  head  of  a  legion  of  cavalry  • 
afterwards  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  a  Representa 
tive  from  that  State  in  the  Congress  of  the  Federal 
Government.  Determined  to  re-coinmence  the  pa 
per,  by  first  printing  it  in  Georgetown,  in  the  Dis 
trict  of  Columbia,  and  then  transmitting  it  to  Balti 
more  for  distribution,  a  house  was,  for  this  purpose, 
occupied  in  Charles-street,  secured  against  external 
violence,  and  guarded  by  a  party  well  provided  for 
defence.  On  the  28th,  papers  were  accordingly 
issued.  These  contained  severe  animadversions 
against  the  Mayor,  police,  and  people  of  Baltimore. 


585 

for  the  depredations  committed  on  the  establishment 
in  the  preceding  month,  and  were  generally  circula 
ted  throughout  the  city. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  it  became  known  that 
Mr.  Hanson  was  in  the  new  office  in  Charles  street, 
and  it  was  early  whispered  that  the  building  would 
be  assailed.  A  number  of  citizens,  who  espoused 
his  opinions,  went,  therefore,  to  the  house,  and  joined 
in  its  protection.  Towards  the  evening,  a  crowd  of 
boys  collected  ;  who,  after  using  opprobrious  epi 
thets  to  those  within,  began  to  throw  stones  at  the 
windows  ;  and,  about  the  same  time,  a  person  on 
the  pavement,  endeavoring  to  dissuade  the  youths 
from  mischief,  was  severely  wounded,  by  something 
ponderous  thrown  from  the  house.  They  were  cau 
tioned  from  the  windows  to  desist ;  but  still  continu 
ed  to  assail  the  place  with  stones.  Two  muskets 
were  then  fired  from  the  upper  story  ;  charged,  it 
was  supposed,- with  blank  cartridges,  to  .deter  them 
from  further  violence;  immediately,  the  crowd  in 
the  street  greatly  increased  ;  the  boys  were  displa 
ced  by  men  ;  the  sashes  of  the  lower  windows  were 
broken,  and  attempts  made  to  force  in  the  door. 
Muskets,  in  quick  succession,  were  discharged  from 
the  house  :  some  military  arrived  to  disperse  the 
crowd  ;  several  shots  were  fired  in  return  ;  and,  at 
length,  a  Doctor  Gale  was  killed,  by  a  shot  from  the 
office  door.  The  irritatio"  of  the  mob  was  increas 
ed.  They  planted  a  cannon  against  the  house,  but 
were  restrained  from  discharging  it,  by  the  timely 
arrival  of  an  additional  military  force,  and  an  agree 
ment  that  the  persons  in  the  house  would  surrender 
to  the  civil  authority.  Accordingly,  early  in  the  fol- 
tawing  morning,  having  received  assurances,  on 
which  they  thought  themselves  safe  in  relying,  they 
surrendered,  and  were  conducted  to  the  county  jail. 


186 

contiguous  to  the  city.  The  party  consisted  oi 
about  twenty  persons  ;  amongst  whom,  were  Gen. 
Lee,  Gen.  James  Lingan,  and  Mr.  Hanson. 

The  Mayor  directed  the  sheriff  to  use  every  pre 
caution  to  secure  the  doors  of  the  prison,  and  the 
commander  of  the  troops  to  employ  a  competent 
force  to  preserve  the  peace.  In  the  evening  every 
thing  bore  the  appearance  of  tranquility  ;  and  the 
soldiers,  by  the  consent  oi  that  magistrate,  were 
dismissed.  But,  shortly  after  dark,  a  great  crowd 
of  disorderly  persons,  re-assembled  about  the  jail, 
and  manifested  an  intention  to  force  it  open.  On 
being  apprized  of  this,  the  Mayor  hastened  to  the 
spot,  and,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  other  gentlemen, 
for  a  while  prevented  the  execution  of  the  design  : 
but  they  were  at  length  overpowered,  by  the  num 
ber  and  violence  of  the  assailants.  The  Mayor 
was  carried  away,  by  force  ;  and  the  turnkey  com 
pelled  to  open  the  doors.  A  tragedy  ensued,  which 
cannot  be  described:  it  can  be  imagined  only  by 
those  who  are  tami liar  with  scenes  of  blood.  Gen. 
Lingan  was  killed  ;  eleven  were  beaten  and  man 
gled  with  weapons  of  every  description,  such  as 
stones,  bludgeons,  and  sledge-hammers,  and  then 
thrown,  as  dead,  into  one  pile  outside  of  the  door. 
A  few  of  ihe  prisoners  fortunately  escaped  through 
the  crowd  :  Mr  Hanson,  fainting  from  his  repeated 
wounds,  was  earned  by  a  gentleman  (of  opposite 
political  sentiments)  at  the  hazard  of  his  own  life, 
across  the  adjoining  river,  whence  he  with  difficulty 
reached  the  dwelling  of  a  friend. 

No  effectual  inquisition  was  ever  made  into  this  sig 
nal  violation  of  the  peace,  nor  punishment  inflicted 
on  the  guilty.  The  leaders,  on  both  sides,  under 
went  trials  ;  but,  owing  to  the  inflammation  of  public 
feelings,  they  were  acquitted, — Gnmshanfs  U*  & 


187 
(103.)  General  HulPs  Surrender. 

Soon  after  the  declaration  of  war,  on  the  16th  of 
.August,  General  Hull,  the  Governor  of  Michigan 
Territory,  surrendered  his  whole  army,  and  the  fort 
at  Detroit,  without  a  single  battle,  to  General 
Brock.  "  So  entirely  unprepared  was  the  public 
for  this  extraordinary  event,  that  no  one  could  be 
lieve  it  to  have  taken  place,  until  communicated 
from  an  official  source."  Hull  had  been  sent  at  the 
head  of  about  .2500  men,  to  Detroit,  with  a  view 
of  putting  an  end  to  the  Indian  hostilities  in  that 
part  of  the  country.  At  the  time  of  the  surrender 
of  the  fort,  it  is  said  that  his  force  consisted  of  more 
than  1000  men,  that  of  the  British  of  1300,  of  whom 
more  than  half  were  Indians.  When  the  British 
column  had  arrived  within  500  yards  of  the  Ameri 
can  lines,  General  Hull  ordered  his  men,  who  were 
placed  in  a  favorable  situation  to  annoy  the  enemy,, 
to  retreat  into  the  fort,  and  that  the  cannon  should 
not  be  fired.  "  Immediately  there  was  heard  an 
universal  burst  of  indignation."  The  order,  how 
ever,  could  not  be  disobeyed.  The  men  were  or 
dered  to  stack  their  arms  ;  a  white  flag  was  hung  o*at 
upon  the  walls,  and  a  communication  passed  be 
tween  the  two  Generals,  which  was  shortly  follow* 
ed  by  a  capitulation.  The  American  volunteers 
and  militia  were  sent  home,  on  condition  of  not 
serving  again  during  the  war,  unless  exchanged. 
The  General  and  the  regular  troops  were  sent  to 
Quebec  as  prisoners  of  war. 

Being  exchanged,  General  Hull  was  prosecuted 
by  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  ar 
raigned  before  a  military  tribunal,  who  acquitted 
him  of  the  charge  of  treason,  but  sentenced  him  to 
jdeath,  for  cowardice  and  unofficer-like  conduct. 


188 

But  in  consequence  of  his  age  and  revolutionary 
services,  the  President  remitted  the  punishment  of 
death,  but  deprived  him  of  all  military  command. 


(104.)  Capture  of  the  Guerriere, 

The  Constitution,  Captain  Hull,  had  sailed  from 
Annapolis  on  the  5th  of  July.  On  the  17th,  he 
was  chased  by  a  ship  of  the  line  and  four  frigates; 
when,  by  an  exertion  of  able  seamanship,  than 
which,  the  victory  itself,  though  more  beneficial, 
could  not  be  more  worthy  of  applause,  he  escaped 
from  the  enequal  combat.  On  the  19th  of  August, 
he  had  an  opportunity  of  trying  his  frigate  against 
a  single  vessel  of  the  enemy.  This  was  the  Guer- 
riere  ;  one  of  the  best,  of  the  same  class,  in  the 
British  navy,  and  in  no  way  averse  to  the  rencoun 
ter;  as  she  promptly  awaited  her  antagonist's  arri 
val.  She  had,  for  some  time,  been  searching  for 
an  American  frigate  ;  having  given  a  formal  chal- 
lange  to  every  vessel  of  the  same  description.  At  one 
of  her  mast  heads,  was  a  flag,  on  which  her  name 
was  inscribed  in  conspicuous  letters  ;  and  on  anoth 
er,  the  words,  "  Not  the  Little  Belt ;"  alluding  to 
the  broadsides  which  the  President  had  fired  into 
that  sloop,  before  the  war.  The  Constitution  be 
ing  ready  for  action,  now  approached,  her  crew 
giving  three  cheers.  Both  continued  manoeuvre- 
ing  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour ;  the  Guerriere 
attempted  to  take  a  raking  position,  and  failing  in 
this,  soon  afterwards  began  to  pour  out  her  broad 
sides,  with  a  view  of  crippling  her  antagonist. 
From  the  Constitution,  not  a  gun  had  been  fired. 
Already,  had  an  officer  twice  come  on  the  quarter 
deck,  with  information  that  several  of  the  men  had 


189 

fallen  at  the  guns.  Though  burning  with  impa 
tience,  the  crew  silently  awaited  the  orders  of  their 
commander.  The  long  expected  moment  at  length 
arrived.  The  vessel  being  brought  exactly  to  the 
designed  position,  directions  were  given  to  fire 
broadside  after  broadside,  in  quick  succession. 
Never  was  any  scene  more  dreadful. — For  fifteen 
minutes,  the  lightning  of  the  Constitution's  guns 
is  a  continued  blaze,  and  their  thunder  roars  with 
out  intermission.  The  enemy's  mizen  mast  lies 
over  her  side,  and  she  stands  exposed  to  a  fire 
that  sweeps  her  decks.  She  becomes  unmanagea 
ble  ;  her  hull  is  shattered,  her  sails  and  rigging  cut 
to  pieces.  Her  mainmast  and  foremast  fall  over 
board,  taking  with  them  every  spar,  except  the 
bowsprit. — The  firing  now  ceased,  and  the  Guer- 
riere  surrendered.  Her  loss  was  fifteen  killed,  and 
sixty-three  wounded ;  the  Constitution  had  seven 
men  killed,  and  seven  wounded.  The  Guerriere 
was  so  much  damaged,  as  to  render  it  impossible 
to  bring  her  into  port ;  she  was,  therefore,  on  the 
following  day,  blown  up.  The  Constitution  re 
ceived  so  little  injury,  that  she  was,  in  a  few  hours, 
ready  for  another  action. — Grimshaw's  Hist.  U.  S, 


(105.)  Battle  at  Queens  town. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  October, 
1812,  a  detachment  of  about  1000  men,  from  the 
army  of  the  Centre,  crossed  the  river  Niagara  and 
attacked  the  British  on  Queenstown  heights.  This 
detachment,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Solo 
mon  Van  Rensellaer,  succeeded  in  dislodging  the  en- 
emy — but  not  being  reinforced  by  the  militia,  from 
the  American  side,  as  was  expected,  they  were  ul- 


timately  repulsed,  and  were  obliged  to  surrender* 
The  British  General  Brock,  was  killed  during  the 
engagement. 

Tne  forces  designed  to  storm  the  heights,  were 
divided  into  two  columns  ;  one  of  300  militia,  un 
der  Colonel  Van  Rensellaer,  the  other  300  regulars, 
under  Colonel  Christie.  These  were  to  be  follow 
ed  by  Colonel  Fenwick's  artillery,  and  then  the 
other  troops  in  order. 

Much  embarrassment  was  experienced  by  the 
boats,  from  the  eddies,  as  well  as  the  shot  by  the 
enemy,  in  crossing  the  river.  Colonel  Van  Rensel 
laer  led  the  van,  and  landed  first  with  100  men. 
Scarcely  had  he  leaped  from  the  boat,  when  he  re 
ceived  four  severe  wounds.  Being,  however,  able 
to  stand,  he  ordered  his  officers  to  move  with  rapid 
ity  and  storm  the  fort.  This  service  was  gallantly 
performed,  and  the  enemy  were  driven  down  the 
hill  in  every  direction. 

Both  parties  were  now  reinforced — the  Ameri 
cans  by  regulars  and  militia — the  British  by  the  49th 
regiment,  consisting  of  600  regulars,  under  Gene 
ral  Brock.  Upon  this  the  conflict  was  renewed,  in 
which  General  Brock,  and  his  aid,  Captain  McDo 
nald,  fell  almost  in  the  same  moment.  After  a  des 
perate  engagement,  the  enemy  were  repulsed,  and 
the  victory  was  thought  complete. 

General  Van  Rensellaer  now  crossed  over,  for 
the  purpose  of  fortifying  the  heights,  preparatory  to 
another  attack,  should  the  enemy  be  reinforced. 
This  duty  he  assigned  to  Lieutenant  Tottcn,  an  able 
engineer. 

But  the  fortune  of  the  day  was  not  yet  decided. 
At  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  enemy,  being  re 
inforced  by  several  hundred  Chippewa  Indians,  ral 
lied,  and  again  advanced,  but  were  a  third  time  re- 


191 

pulsed.  At  this  moment,  General  Van  Rensellaer, 
perceiving  the  militia  on  the  opposite  side  embark 
ing  but  slowly,  hastily  re-crossed  the  river,  to  ac 
celerate  their  movements.  But  what  was  his  cha 
grin,  on  reaching  the  American  side,  to  hear  more 
than  1200  men,  (militia,)  positively  refuse  to  ern 
bark.  The  sight  of  the  engagement  had  cooled 
that  ardor,  which,  previously  to  the  attack,  the 
commander  in  chief  could  scarcely  restrain. 
While  their  countrymen  were  nobly  struggling  ior 
victory,  they  could  remain  idle  spectators  of 
the  scene.  All  that  a  brave,  resolute,  and  benevo 
lent  commander  could  do.  General  Van  Rensellaer 
did — he  urged,  entreated,  commanded,  but  it  was 
all  in  vain.  Eight  hundred  British  soldiers,  from 
fort  George,  now  hove  in  sight,  and  pressed  on  to 
renew  the  attack.  The  Americans,  for  a  time,  con 
tinued  to  struggle  against  this  force,  but  were  final 
ly  obliged  to  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of  war. 
The  number  of  American  troops  killed,  amount-. 
ed  to  about  60,  and  about  100  were  wounded. 
Those  who  surrendered  themselves  prisoners  of 
war,  including  the  wounded,  were  about  700.  The 
loss  of  the  British  is  unknown,  but  must  have  been 
severe. — Goodrich? s  Hist.  U.  S. 


(106.)  Massacre  at  Fort  Mimms. 

In  181-2.  Tecumseh,  the  celebrated  Shawnee  chief 
and  British  ally,  appeared  among  the  Indians  of  the 
SouU:,  and  by  his  arts  of  persuasion,  induced  a 
large  majority  of  the  Creek  nation,  and  a  consider 
able  portion  of  the  other  tribes,  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  United  States.  Being  supplied  with  im 
plements  of  war  from  the  British,  through  the  chan- 


193 

nel  of  the  Floridas,  they  accordingly  commenced 
hostilities. 

"  Alarm  and  consternation  prevailed  among  the 
white  inhabitants  ;  those  of  Tensaw  district,  a  con 
siderable  settlement  of  the  Alabama,  fled  for  safety 
to  fort  Mimms  on  that  river,  sixteen  miles  above 
fort  Stoddard.  The  place  was  garrisoned  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  volunteers,  of  the  Mississippi 
territory,  under  Major  Beasly.  The  inhabitants 
collected  at  the  fort,  amounted  to  about  three  hun 
dred. 

At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  of  the  30th  of 
August,  a  body  of  Indians,  to  the  amount  of  six  or 
seven  hundred  warriors,  issued  from  the  adjoining 
wood,  and  approached  the  fort ;  they  advanced 
within  a  few  rods  of  it  before  the  alarm  was  given. 
As  the  centinel  cried  out,  '•  Indians,"  they  immedi 
ately  gave  a  war-whoop,  and  rushed  in  at  the  gate, 
before  the  garrison  had  time  to  shut  it.  This  deci 
ded  their  fate.  Major  Beasly  was  mortally  wound 
ed  at  the  commendfcmentof  the  assault;  he  ordered 
his  men  to  secure  the  ammunition,  and  retreat  into 
the  house;  he  was  himself  carried  into  the  kitchen, 
and  afterwards  consumed  in  the  flames. 

The  fort  was  originally  square,  but  Major  Beasly 
had  enlarged  it  by  extending  the  lines  upon  two  sides 
about  fifty  feet,  and  putting  up  a  new  side,  into 
which  the  gate  was  removed  ;  the  old  line  of  pickets 
were  standing,  and  the  Indians  on  rushing  in  at  the 
gate,  obtained  possession  of  the  outer  part,  and 
through  the  port  holes  of  ihe  old  line  of  pickets, 
fired  on  the  people  who  held  the  interior.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  fort,  was  an  offset,  or  bastion, 
made  round  the  back  gate,  which  being  open  on  tho 
outside,  was  occupied  by  the  Indians,  who,  with  tho 
that  lay  scattered  about,  cut  dovyn  the  gate, 


193- 

The  people  in  the  fort,  kept  possession  of  the  port 
holes  on  the  other  lines,  and  fired  on  the  Indians 
who  remained  on  the  outside.  Some  of  the  Indians 
ascended  the  block-house  at  one  of  the  corners, 
and  fired  on  the  garrison  below,  but  were  soon  dis 
lodged ;  they  succeeded,  however,  in  setting  fire  to 
a  house  near  the  pickets,  which  communicated  to 
the  kitchen,  and  from  thence  to  the  main  dwelling- 
house.  When  the  people  in  the  fort  saw  the  In 
dians  in  full  possession  of  the  outer  court,  the  gate 
open,  the  men  fast  falling,  and  then  houses  in  flames, 
they  gave  up  all  for  losi,  and  a  .scene  of  the  most 
distressing  horror  ensued.  The  women  and  chil 
dren  sought  refuge  in  the  upper  story  of  the  dwel 
ling-house,  and  were  consumed  in  the  flames,  the 
Indians  dancing  and  yelling  round  them  with  the 
most  savage  delight.  Those  who  were  without  the 
buildings  were  murdered  and  scalped  without  dis 
tinction  of  age"  or  sex;  seventeen  only  escaped. 
The  battle  and  massacre  lasted  from  eleven  in  the 
forenoon  until  six  in  the  afternoon,  by  which  time 
the  work  of  destruction  was  fully  completed,  the 
fort  and  buildings  entirely  demolished,  and  upwards 
of  four  hundred  men,  women,  and  children,  massa 
cred". — Perkins''  Late  War. 


(107.)   Capture  of  York,  (U.  C.) 

On  the  23d  of  April,  Gen.  Dearborn  embarked 
at  Sackett's  Harbor,  with  sixteen  hundred  men,  on 
an  expedition  against  York,  at  the  head  of  the  lake, 
leaving  the  defence  of  the  harbor,  with  all  the  stores, 
public  property,  and  a  new  ship  on  the  stocks,  to  a 
handful  of  regulars,  under  Col.  Backus,  and  the 
neighboring  militia,  not  then  arrived,  It  seemed  to 


in 

liave  escaped  the  observation  of  the  commanding 
General,  that  the  enemy  would  probably,  in  his  ab 
sence,  strike  at  an  important  post  thus  left  uncover 
ed*  On  the  27th,  Gen.  Dearborn  with  the  fleet,  ar 
rived  before  the  town  of  York  and  immediately  com 
menced  a  disembarkation.  The  commanding  Gen 
eral  intrusted  the  further  prosecution  of  the  expe 
dition  to  Gen.  Pike,  and  remained  on  board  the  ileet. 
To  oppose  their  landing,  a  corps  of  British  grena 
diers,  the  Glengary  fencibles,  and  several  bodies 
of  Indians,  appeared  at  different  points  on  the  shore. 
At  eight  o'clock  the  troops  commenced  their  land 
ing,  three  miles  westward  of  the  town,  and  a  mile  and 
a  half  distant  from  the  British  works.  The  place 
first  designed  for  their  landing,  was  a  cleared  field 
near  the  site  of  the  old  French  fort  Tarcnto  ;  but 
the  wind  was  high  and  prevented  the  first  division, 
from  landing  at  that  place,  and  also  prevented  the 
ships  from  covering  their  disembarkation.  The  ri 
flemen  under  Major  Forsythr,  first  landed  under  a 
heavy  fire  from  ihn  enrmy.  Major  Gen.  SheafFe  had 
collected  his  whole  force  consisting  of  about  seven 
or  eight  hundred  regulars  and  militia,  with  a  hundred 
Indians,  to  oppose  their  landing,  and  commanded  in 
person.  Major  Forsythe,  although  supported  by 
Jt£  Other  troops  as  promptly  as  possible,  was  obli 
ged  to  sustain  alone  a  sharp  conflict  with  the  whole 
British  force  for  nearly  half  an  hour.  As  soon  as 
Gen.  Pike  had  effected  his  landing,  with  about  eight 
hundred  men,  the  British  retreated  to  their  works, 
The  main  body  of  the  Americans  landed  and  formed 
at  old  fort  Tarenlo,  and  quickly  advanced  through 
ok  wood  to  an  open  ground  near  the  British 
works.  The  first  battery  was  carried  by  assault, 
and  the  columns  moved  on  towards  the  mam  works; 
when  the  head  of  the  column  had  arrived  within, 


195 

about  sixty  rods,  a  tremendous  explosion  took  place 
from  a  magazine  prepared  for  that  purpose,  and 
killed  and  wounded  one  hundred  men.  Gen.  Pike 
was  mortally  wounded  by  a  stone  which  was  thrown 
up  by  the  explosion,  and  struck  him  on  the  breast. 
He  was  immediately  conveyed  on  board  the  Commo 
dore's  ship,  and  soon  expired.  After  the  confusion 
which  these  events  necessarily  occasioned,  the 
American  troops  proceeded  to  the  town,  and  agreed 
to  a  capitulation  with  the  commanding  officers  of  the 
Canadian  militia,  by  which  it  was  stipulated,  that  all 
the  public  property  should  be  delivered  to  the  Amer 
icans,  the  militia  surrendered  prisoners  of  war, 
and  private  property  protected.  Immediately  after 
the  explosion,  Gen.  Sheaffe,  with  the  regulars,  re 
treated  out  of  the  reach  of  the  American  arms. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  militia,  and  fifty  marines  and 
regulars,  were  included  in  the  capitulation.  The 
American  loss  was  fourteen  killed  in  battle,  and  fif 
ty-two  by  the  explosion;  twenty-three  wounded  in 
battle,  and  one  hundred  and  eight  by  the  explosion. 
One  large  vessel  on  the  stocks,  and  a  quantity  of 
naval  stores  were  set  fire  to  by  the  British,  and  con 
sumed  ;  but  more  naval  stores  were  taken  by  the 
Americans  than  could  be  carried  away.  The  pub 
lic  buildings  for  military  use,  and  the  military  stores 
which  could  not  be  removed,  were  destroyed. 
York  was  the  seat  of  government  for  Upper  Cana 
da,  and  the  principal  depot  f®r  the  Niagara  frontier, 
and  Detroit.  Gen.  Sheaffe's  baggage  and  papers 
were  taken.  In  the  government  "hall  a  human  scalp 
was  found,  suspended  over  the  speaker's  chair  with 
the  mace  and  other  emblems  of  power.  This  buil 
ding  was  bunted,  contrary  to  the  orders  of  the 
American  General. — Perkins9  History  of  the  War. 


196 
(108.)  Battle  on  Lake  Erie. 

The  American  fleet  consisted  of  nine  vessels,  car 
rying  fifty  four  guns,  commanded  by  Commodore 
Perry,  a  young  officer.  The  British  fleet  of  six  ves 
sels  and  sixty  three  guns,  under  Commodore  Bar 
clay,  an  old  and  experienced  officer,  who  had  served 
under  Nelson.  The  line  of  battle  was  formed  at 
11  o'clock,  (Sept.  10,  1813.)  At  fifteen  minutes 
before  12,  the  enemy's  flag  ship,  "Queen  Charlotte," 
opened  a  furious  fire  upon  the  "Lawrence,"  the  flag 
ship  of  Com.  Perry.  The  wind  being  light,  the 
rest  of  the  squadron  were  unable  to  come  to  his  as 
sistance,  and  he  was  compelled  for  two  hours  to  sus 
tain  the  fire  of  two  of  the  enemy's  ships,  each  of 
equal  force.  By  this  time  the  Lawrence  had  be 
come  unmanageable,  every  gun  was  dismounted,  her 
crew  except  four  or  five  were  all  killed  or  wounded. 

In  this  desperate  condition,  Commodore  Perry, 
with  great  presence  of  mind,  formed  the  bold  design 
to  shift  his  flag,  and  leaping  into  an  open  boat,  wa 
ving  his  sword,  he  passed  unhurt  through  a  shower 
of  balls  to  the  Niagara  of  twenty  guns.  At  this 
critical  moment  the  wind  increased,  and  Perry  bore 
down  upon  the  enemy,  passing  the  "Detroit," 
*'Queen  Charlotte,"  and  "Lady  Provost,"  on  one 
side,  and  the  "Chippewa"  and  "Little  Belt"  on 
the  other,  into  each  of  which  while  passing  he  pour 
ed  a  broadside.  He  then  engaged  the  "  Lady  Pro 
vost,"  which  received  so  heavy  a  fire  that  the  men 
ran  below.  The  remainder  of  the  American  squad 
ron  now  one  after  another  came  up.  After  a  con 
test  of  three  hours  the  Amewcan  fleet  gained  a  com 
plete  victory,  and  captured  every  vessel  of  the  en 
emy.  Commodore  Perry  announced  this  victory 
in  the  following  laconic  style; — "  WQ  have  met  the 
enemy :  and  they  are 


Oregon  Xoxitanr 


100 


<'<if*tui!t.f  Lewis  atul  Clarke    ett  t/f    r>t«T7f7i  of /'>*7arnl>ia 

ILalke  Erie 


197 

TJhe  Americans  lost  in  this  action  twenty  seveu 
killed  and  ninety  six  wounded.  The  British  had 
about  two  hundred  killed  and  wounded — the  Amer 
icans  took  six  hundred  prisoners,  which  exceeded 
the  whole  n-umber  of  Americans  engaged  in  the 
action. 


(109.)  Death  of  Tecumseh. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  a  battle  was  fought  be 
tween  the  American  army  under  Gen.  Harrison,  and 
the  British,  under  Gen.  Proctor,  in  which  the  Brit 
ish  were  defeated,  and  Detroit  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  Americans. 

The  British  were  assisted  by  a  body  of  1200  or 
1500  Indian  warriors,  led  on  by  Tecumseh,  a  cele 
brated  Indian  chieftain.  Upon  the  left,  the  onset 
was  begun  by  Tecumseh,  with  great  fury.  He  was 
opposed  by  Col.  Johnson,  of  Kentucky.  The  In 
dians  seemed  determined  to  conquer  or  die.  The 
terrible  voice  of  Tecumseh  was  heard  encouraging 
his  warriors ;  although  beset  on  every  side,  they 
fought  with  determined  courage.  Col.  Johnson 
now  rushed  towards  the  spot,  where  the  savage  war 
riors  were  gathering  round  their  undaunted  chief 
tain.  In  a  moment  a  hundred  rifles  were  aimed  at 
the  American,  the  balls  pierced  his  dress  and  accou 
trements,  and  himself  and  his  horse  received  a  num 
ber  of  wounds,  At  the  instant  his  horse  was  about 
to  fall  under  him,  he  was  discovered  by  Tecumseh: 
having  discharged  his  rifle  he  sprang  forward  with 
his  tomahawk,  but,  struck  with  the  appearance  of 
the  brave  man  before  him,  he  hesitated  for  a -moment, 
and  that  moment  was  his  last.  Col.  Johnson  level 
led  a  pistol  at  his  breast,  arid  they  both,  almost  at 
18 


198 

the  same  instant,  fell  to  the  ground.     Col.  Johnson' 
men  now  rushed  forward  to  his  rescue,  and  the  In 
dians,  hearing  no  longer   the  voice  of  their  chief, 
soon  after  fled. 

"Thus  fell  Tecumseh,  and  with  him,  fell  the  last 
hope  of  our  Indian  enemies."  Since  the  year  1790, 
he  had  been  in  almost  every  engagement  with  the 
whites;  he  was  a  determined  enemy  to  the  attempts 
to  civilize  the  Indians,  and  had  for  years  endeavor 
ed  to  unite  the  tribes  in  opposing  the  progress  of 
the  settlement  of  the  whites,  any  farther  to  the  west 
ward.  On  the  opening  of  the  last  war,  he  visited 
many  tribes,  and  by  his  uncommon  eloquence  and 
address,  roused  his  countrymen  to  arms  against  the 
United  States.  "  Tecumseh  had  received  the 
stamp  of  greatness,  from  the  hand  of  nature,  and 
had  his  lot  been  cast  in  a  different  state  of  society, 
he  would  have  shone  as  one  of  the  most  distinguish 
ed  of  men.  He  was  endowed  with  a  powerful 
mind,  and  with  the  soul  of  a  hero.  There  was  an 
uncommon  dignity  in  his  countenance  and  manners, 
and  by  the  former  he  could  be  easily  distinguished, 
even  after  death,  among  the  slain,  for  he  wore  uo 
Insignia  of  distinction." 


(110.)  Battle  of  Niagara. 

On  the  25th  of  July,  1814,  Gen.  Scott  arrived 
at  the  Niagara  cataract,  and  learned  that  the  British 
were  in  force  directly  in  his  front,  separated  only 
by  a  narrow  piece  of  wood.  Having  despatched 
this  intelligence  to  Gen.  Brown,  he  advanced  upon 
the  enemy,  and  the  action  commenced  at  six  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  Although  Gen.  Ripley,  with  the 
second  brigade,  Major  Hendman,  with  the  corps  of 


199 

artillery?  and  Gen.  Porter,  with  the  volunteers,  pres 
sed  forward  with  ardor  ;  it  was  an  hour  before  they 
could  be  brought  up  to  his  support:  during  this  time 
his  brigade  alone  sustained  the  conflict.  Gen.  Scott 
had  pressed  through  the  wood,  and  engaged  the 
Bi-itish  on  the  Queenston  road,  with  the  9th,  1 1th, 
and  12th  regiments,  the  25th  having  been  thrown 
on  the  right.  The  fresh  troops,  under  Gen.  Ripley, 
having  arrived,  now  advanced  to  relieve  Gen.  Scott, 
whose  exhausted  brigade  formed  a  reserve  in  the 
rear.  The  British  artillery  had  taken  post  on  a 
commanding  eminence,  at  the  head  of  Lundy's  lane, 
supported  by  a  line  of  infantry,  out  of  the  reach 
of  the  American  batteries.  This  was  the  key  of  the 
whole  position  ;  from  hence  they  poured  a  most 
deadly  fire  on  the  American  ranks.  It  became  ne 
cessary  either  to  leave  the  ground,  or  to  carry  this 
post  and  seize  the  height.  The  lutter  desperate 
task  was  assigned  to  Col.  Miller.  On  receiving 
the  order  from  Gen.  Brown,  he  calmly  surveyed 
the  position  and  answered,  "/  will  try  szV,"  which 
expression  was  afterwards  the  motto  of  his  regi 
ment.  The  first  regiment,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  Nicholas,  were  ordered  to  menace  the  British 
infantry,  and  support  Col.  Miller  in  the  attack. 
This  corps,  after  a  discharge  or  two,  gave  way  and 
left  him  without  support.  Without  regarding  this 
occurrence,  Col.  Miller  advanced  coolly  and  stead 
ily  to  his  object,  amid  a  tremendous  fire,  and  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet,  carried  the  artillery  and  the 
height.  The  guns  were  immediately  turned  upon 
the  enemy ;  Gen.  Ripley  now  brought  up  the  23d 
regiment  to  the  support  of  Col.  Miller  ;  the  first  re 
giment  was  rallied  and  brought  into  line,  and  the 
British  were  driven  from  the  hill.  At  this  time  Ma 
jor  Jcssup,  with  the  25th  regiment,  was  engaged  in 


200 

a  most  obstinate  conflict,  with  all  the  British  that  re 
mained  on  the  field.  'He  had  succeeded  in  turning 
the  British  left  flank.  Capt.  Ketchum,  with  a  de- 
i.achment  of  this  regiment,  succeeded  in  gaining 
;he  rear  of  the  British  lines  at  the  point  where  Gen 
erals  Drummond  and  Riall,  with  their  suites,  had.  ta 
ken  their  stations,  and  made  them  all  prisoners* 
The  British  officers,  mistaking  this  detachment  for  a 
company  of  their  own  men,  were  ordering  them  to 
to  press  on  to  the  combat,  'when  Capt.  Ketchum 
stepped  forward,  and  coolly  observed,  that  he 
had  the  fionor  to  command  at  that  time,  and  im 
mediately  conducted  the  officers  and  their  suites,  in 
to  the  rear  of  the  American  lines  ;  General  Drum 
mond,  in  the  confusion  of  the  scene  made  his  escape. 
The  British  rallied  under  the  hill,  and  made  a  des 
perate  attempt  to  regain-  their  artillery,  and  drive 
the  Americans  from  their  position,  but  without  suc 
cess  ;  a  second  and  third  attempt  was  made  with 
ihe  like  result.  Gen.  Scott  was  engaged  in  repelling 
these  attacks,  and  though  with  his  shoulder  fractur 
ed,  and  a  severe  wound  in  the  side,  continued  at 
the  head  of  his  column,  endeavoring  to  turn  the  en 
emy's  right  flank.  The  volunteers  under  Gen.  Por 
ter,  during  the  last  charge  of  the  British,  precipita 
ted  themselves  upon  the  lines,  broke  them,  and  took 
a  large  number  of  prisoners.  Gen.  Brown,  during 
the  whole  action,  was  at  the  mos.t  exposed  points, 
directing  and  animating  his  troops.  He  received  a 
severe  wound  on  the  thigh,  and  in  the  side,  and 
would  have  given  the  command  to  Gen.  Scott,  but 
on  inquiring  found  that  he  was  severely  wounded. 
He  continued  at  the  head  of  his  troops  until  the 
last  effort  of  the  British  was  repulsed,  when  loss  of 
blood  obliged  him  to  retire  ;  he  then  consigned  the 
command  to  Gen.  Ripley.  At  twelve  o'clock,  both 


201 

parlies  retired  from  the  field,  to  their  respective  en- 
oampments,  fatigued  and  satiated  with  slaughter. 
The  battle  continued  with  little  intermission,  from 
six  in  the  afternoon  until  twelve  at  night.  After 
Col.  Miller  had  taken  the  battery,  and  driven  the 
British  from  the  heights,  and  Gen.  Riall  and  suite 
had  been  taken,  there  was  a  short  cessation,  and  the 
enemy  appeared  to  be  about  yielding  the  ground, 
when  reinforcements  arrived  to  their  aid,  and  the 
battle  was  renewed  with  redoubled  fury  for  another 
space  of  two  hours  ;  much  of  this  time  the  combat 
ants  were  within  a  few  yards  of  each  other,  and  sev 
eral  times,  officers  were  found  commanding  enemy 
platoons.  Capt.  Spencer,  aid  to  Gen.  Brown,  was 
despatched  with  orders  to  one  of  the  regiments; 
when  about  to  deliver  them,  he  suddenly  found  him 
self  in  contact  with  a  British  corps;  with  great 
eoolness  and  a  firm  air,  he  inquired  what  regiment 
is  this?  On  being  answered,  the  Royal  Scotts,  he 
immediately  replied,  Royal  Scolts,  remain  as  you  are* 
the  commandant  of  the  corps,  supposing  the  orders 
eame  from  his  commanding  General,  immediately 
halted  his  regiment,  and  Capt.  Spencer  rode  off. 
Col.  Miller's  achievement,  in  storming  the  battery, 
was  of  the  most  brilliant  and  hazardous  nature  ;  it 
was  decisive  of  the  events  of  the  battle,  and  enti 
tled  him  and  his  corps  to  the  highest  applause ; 
most  of  the  officers  engaged  in  that  enterprise  were 
killed  or  wounded.  The  battle  was  fought  to  the 
west  of,  and  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Niagara  cat 
aract.  The  thunder  of  the  cannon,  the  roaring  of 
the  falls,  the  incessant  discharge  of  musketry,  the 
groans  of  the  dying  and  wounded  during  the  six 
hours  in  which  the  parties  were  engaged  in  close 
combat,  heightened  by  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
night,  afforded  such  a  scene,  as  is  rarely  to  be  mc?. 


With,  in  the  history  of  human  slaughter.  The  eve 
ning  was  calm,  and  the  moon  shone  with  lustre, 
when  not  enveloped  in  clouds  of  smoke  from  the 
firing  of  the  contending  armies.  Considering  the 
numbers  engaged,  few  contests  have  ever  been 
mor?:  sanguinary.* 

This  was  one  of  the  most  severe  and  bloody  bat 
tles,  which  Was  fought  during  the  war.  The  iintish 
force  engaged  in  tnis  battle  amounted  to  5,000  men  : 
many  of  their  troops  were  selected  from  Hie  flower 
of  Lord  Wellington's  army.  The  American  force 
consisted  of  4,000  men. — The  loss  of  Americans  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  was  860  men  ;  that  of 
the  British  was  878  men. 


(111.)  Burning  of  Washington  City. 

In  August,  1814,  a  body  of  about  6000  British 
troops,  commanded  by  Gen.  Ross,  landed  at  Bene 
dict,  on  the  Pafuxent,  47  miles  from  Washington  ; 
on  tho  21st  of  August,  he  marched  to  Nottingham. 
He  met  with  little  opposition  on  his  march,  until 
within  about  six  miles  of  Washington,  at  Bfddehs- 
burg.  Here  Gen.  Winder,  with  the  American  forces, 
composed  mostly  of  militia,  hastily  collected,  op 
posed  them.  The  Americans,  however,  fled  at  the 
beginning  of  the  contest.  Com.  Barney,  with  about 
400  men,  made  a  brave  resistance ;  but  the  enemy, 
superior  in  numbers,  compelled  him  to  surrender. 

Leaving  B  lad  ens  burgh,  Gen.  Ross  went  to  Wash 
ington,  where  he  arrived  in  the  evening  of  the  23d 
of  August,  about  3  o'clock,  with  700  men,  having  left 
'Ur  main  body  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 

*Perkins'  Late  War. 


203 

Capitol.     Immediately  on  his   arrival,  Gen. 
issued  orders  to  set  on  fire  the  public  buildings."* 

The  Capitol  and  the  President's  house,  two  noble 
buildings,  were  burnt ;  the  valuable  libraries  in  the 
Capitol  were  also  destroyed.  The  great  Bridge 
across  the  Potomac — a  splendid  Hotel,  and  many 
other  private  buildings. 

On  the  25th  they  retired  by  rapid  marches,  and 
regained  their  shipping,  leaving  behind  them  seve 
ral  officers  of  rank,  and  150  non-commissioned  offi 
cers  and  privates,  whose  wounds  did  not  admit  of  a 
removal.  Their  whole  loss  during  this  expedition 
was  400  in  killed  and  wounded,  besides  500  more, 
.who  were  made  prisoners  or  deserted. 


(112.)  Battle  on  Lake  Champlain, 

In  September,  1814,  an  army  of  14,000  men., 
under  the  command  of  Sir  George  Prevost,  Governor 
General  of  Canada,  and  a  fleet  on  Lake  Champlain, 

*  According  to  the  account  of  a  British  officer,  who  was  in 
this  expedition,  the  sole  object  of  the  disembarkation  was  the 
destruction  of  the  American  flotilla.  When  that  flotilla  re 
treated  from  Nottingham',  Admiral  Cockburn  urged  the  ne 
cessity  of  a  pursuit,  and  finally  prevailed  on  Gen.  Ross  to 
proceed  on  to  attack  Washing-ton.  When  he  arrived  near 
the  city.  Gen.  Ross  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce  with  terms.  Scarce 
ly  had  the  party  with  the  flag-  entered  the  city,  when  they 
were  fired  upon  from  the  windows  of  one  of  the  houses.  Two 
corporals  of  the  31st,  and  the  horse  of  the  General  himself, 
who  accompanied  them,  were  killed.  This  outrage  roused 
the  indignation  of  every  individual  of  the  army.  All  thoughts 
of  accommodation  were  instantly  laid  aside;  the  troops  ad 
vanced  forthwith  into  the  city,  and  having  first  put  to  the 
sword  all  who  were  found  in  the  house  from  whence  the  shots 
were  fired,  and  reduced  it  to  ashes,  they  proceeded  without 
delay,  to  burn  and  destroy  every  thing  in  the  most  distant 
degree  connected  with  the  government, 


£04 

under  Commodore  Downie,  carrying  95  guns,  and 
1050  men,  approached  Plattsburgh. 

The  American  fleet,  commanded  by  Commodore 
Macdonough,  carried  but  86  guns,  and  826  men. 
While  lying  off  Plattsburgh,  on  the  llth  of  Sep 
tember,  the  British  fleet  bore  down  upon  them  in 
order  of  battle. 

Ordering  his  vessels  to  be  cleared  for  action, 
Commodore  Macdonough  gallantly  received  the 
enemy.  The  engagement  was  exceedingly  obsti 
nate;  the  enemy  fought  bravely;  but  the  superiori 
ty  of  the  American  gunnery  prevailed — they  fired 
much  oftener  than  their  enemies.  After  an  engage 
ment  of  two  hours  and  twenty  minutes,  the  British 
ships  were  silenced,  and  one  frigate,  one  brig,  and 
two  sloops  of  war,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Ameri 
cans.  Several  British  gallies  were  sunk,  and  a  few 
others  escaped.  The  Americans  lost  52  killed,  and 
58  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  British  was  84  killed, 
and  110  wounded. 

Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  who  commanded  the  land  forces, 
commenced  an  attack  upon  the  American  works  at 
Plattsburgh,  at  the  same  time  that  the  fleets  were 
engaged,  but  was  compelled  to  retire  by  the  Ame 
ricans,  under  Gen.  Macomb,  with  the  loss  of  2500 
men. 


(113.)  Hartford  Convention. 

During  the  second  war  with  Great  Britain,  the 
people  of  the  United  States  were  divided  into  two 
political  parties,  one  party  condemning  the  war  as 
unwise  and  unnecessary;  the  other  contending  that 
the  war  was  just,  and  necessary  for  the  maintenance 
of  national  honor.  «  The  opposition  to  the  war  was 


Wa&hmrton 


of  the  uipiM  at  H 

Lake  Qiamplaim 


114 


205 

the  greatest  in  the  New-England  States,  and  during 
its  continuance  this  opposition  was  confirmed.  En 
listments  of  troops  was  in  some  instances  discoura- 
§ed,  and  dissentions  arose  between  the  general  and 
tate  governments,  respecting  the  command  of  the 
militia,  called  out  by  order  of  the  former,  to  defend 
the  sea-board.  In  October,  1814,  the  Legislature 
of  Massachusetts  appointed  "  delegates  to  meet  and 
confer  with  the  delegates  from  the  States  of  New 
England,  or  any  of  them,  upon  the  subjects  of  their 
public  grievances  and  concerns."  The  delegates 
met  at  Hartford,  Con.  Dec.  15th,  1814,  and  sat 
nearly  three  weeks  with  closed  doors.  This  Con 
vention  consisted  of  delegates  from  the  States  of 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode-Island  ;  two 
members  from  New-Hampshire  and  one  fron^  Ver 
mont:  these  last  were  appointed  at  County  meet 
ings.  After  their  adjournment,  the  Convention  pub 
lished  an  address,  charging  the  National  government 
with  pursuing  measures  hostile  to  the  interests  of 
New-England,  and  recommending  amendments  to 
the  Federal  Constitution. 

"  These  alterations  consisted  of  seven  articles — 
first,  that  Representatives  and  direct  taxes  shall  be 
apportioned  to  the  number  of  free  persons  : — 
secondly,  that  no  new  State  shall  be  admitted  into 
the  Union  without  the  concurrence  of  two  thirds  of 
both  houses  : — thirdly,  that  Congress  shall  riot  have 
power  to  lay  an  embargo  for  more  than  sixty 
days: — fourthly,  that  Congress  shall  not  interdict 
commercial  intercourse,  without  the  concurrence  of 
two  thirds  of  both  houses  -—ffthly,  that  war  shall 
not  be  declared  without  the  concurrence  of  a  similar 
majority  : — sixthly,  that  no  person  who  shall  be 
hereafter  naturalized,  shall  be  eligible  as  a  member 
of  the  Senate  or  House  of  Representatives,  or  hold 
19 


206 

any  civil  office  under  the  authority  of  the  United 
States  : — and,  seventhly,  that  no  person  shall  be 
elected  twice  to  the  Presidency,  nor  the  President 
be  elected  from  the  same  State  two  terms  in  suc 
cession. 

The  report  of  the  Convention  concluded  with  a 
resolution,  providing  for  the  calling  of  another  con 
vention,  should  the  United  States  "  refuse  their 
consent  to  some  arrangement  whereby  the  New 
England  States,  separately,  or  in  concert,  might  be 
empowered  to  assume  upon  themselves  the  defence 
of  their  territory  against  the  enemy,"  appropriating 
a  reasonable  proportion  of  the  public  taxes  for  this 
purpose  ;  or,  "  should  peace  not  be  concluded,  and 
the  defence  of  the  New  England  States  be  neglected 
as  it  has  been  since  the  commencement  of  the  war."4 

Tile  committee  appointed  to  communicate  these 
resolutions  to  Congress,  met  at  Washington  the  news 
of  peace  :  and  owing  to  this  event  another  Con 
vention  was  not  called.  The  proposed  amendments 
of  the  Constitution  were  submitted  to  the  several 
States,  and  rejected  by  all  except  Massachusetts, 
Rhode-Island,  and  Connecticut. 


(1 14.)  Gen.  Jackson's  Victory  at  New-Orleans* 

In  the  month  of  Dec.  1814,  fifteen  thousand 
British  troops,  under  Sir  Edward  Packenham,  were 
landed  for  the  attack  of  New-Orleans.  The  de 
fence  of  this  place  was  entrusted  to  Gen.  Andrew 
Jackson,  whose  force  was  about  6000  men,  chiefly 
raw  militia.  Several  slight  skirmishes  occurred 
before  the  enemy  arrived  before  the  city  :  during 
this  time  Gen.  Jackson  was  employed  in  making 
*  Goodrich. 


207 

preparation  for  his  defence.  His  front  was  a 
straight  line  of  1000  yards,  defended  by  upwards  of 
three  thousand  Infantry  and  Artillerists.  The  ditch 
contained  five  feet  of  water,  and  his  front,  from 
having  been  Hooded  by  opening  the  levees,  and  by 
frequent  rains,  was  rendered  slippery  and  muddy. 
Eight  distinct  batteries  were  judiciously  disposed, 
mounting  in  all  12  guns  of  different  calibres.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river  was  a  strong  battery 
of  fifteen  guns. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  Gen.  Packenham,  with 
upwards  of  1 2,000  men,  deliberately  advanced  in 
solid  columns,  to  the  attack,  over  an  even  plain,  in 
front  of  the  American  intrenchments,  his  men  carry 
ing,  besides  their  muskets,  facines,  and  ladders. 
Entire  silence  prevailed  through  the  American  lines 
until  the  British  were  within  reach  of  their  batteries, 
when  a  destructive  cannonade  was  opened ;  yet 
they  advanced,  closing  up  their  ranks  as  fast  as  they 
were  opened  by  the  fire  of  the  Americans.  But 
when  within  the  reach  of  musketry  and  rifles,  the 
Americans  poured  in  such  a  tremendous  and  de 
structive  fire,  that  the  British  columns  were  literally 
swept  away.  Unable  to  stand  the  shock,  confusion 
followed,  and  Gen.  Packenham,  in  the  attempt  to 
rally  his  troops,  was  killed. 

The  two  Generals,  Gibbs  and  Kean,  succeeded  in 
pushing  forward  their  columns  the  second  time,  but 
this  was  more  fatal  than  the  first.  The  continued 
rolling  fire  from  the  American  lines  resembled  peals 
of  thunder.  A  few  platoons  only  reached  the  ditch, 
to  meet  a  more  certain  destruction. 

A  third  attempt  was  made  to  lead  up  the  troops, 
which  proved  equally  unavailing.  Gen.  Gibbs  and 
Kean  were  severely  wounded,  the  former  mortally. 

The  plain  before  the  American  lines  now  pre* 


208 

sented  a  wide  field  of  blood.  Seven  hundred  of  the 
British  were  killed,  1400  wounded,  arid  500  were 
taken  prisoners  ;  making  the  whole  of  their  loss, 
nearly  3000  men.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  did 
not  exceed  seven  killed,  and  they  had  only  six 
wounded  !  ! 

The  enemy,  soon  after,  with  great  secrecy,  em- 
harked  on  board  their  shipping. 


(115.)  Bank  of  the  United  States. 

The  Bank  of  the  United  States  was  established 
by  an  act  of  Congress  of  April  10th,  1816,  and  con 
tinues  to  March  3d,  1 836.  Its  stock  consists  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  shares,  of  one  hundred 
dollars  each,  constituting  a  capital  of  thirty-five  mil 
lions  of  dollars.  Seventy  thousand  shares,  or  seven 
millions  of  the  stock,  was  taken  by  the  United 
States,  and  the  remaining  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  shares,  amounting  to  twenty. eight  millions 
of  dollars,  by  individuals,  companies,  &c.  Of  this 
twenty-eight  millions  of  dollars,  seven  was  required 
by  the  charter  to  be  paid  in  gold  or  silver  coin,  arid 
twenty-one  millions  in  gold  or  silver  coin,  or  funded 
debt  of  the  United  States.  The  property  of  the 
Bank,  including  its  whole  capital,  is  not  to  exceed 
in  value,  fifty-five  millions  of  dollars. 

The  Bank  is  located  in  Philadelphia,  governed 
by  twenty-five  Directors,  chosen  annually;  five  of 
whom,  being  stockholders,  are  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  by  and  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate ;  and  twenty  are 
annually  elected  at  the  Banking-house,  in  Philadel 
phia,  by  the  qualified  stockholders  of  the  capital, 
(other  than  the  United  States,)  on  the  first  Monday 


209 

&f  January.  No  person  can  be  a  Director  in  the 
Bank  of  the  United  States  at  the  same  time  that  he 
is  a  Director  in  any  other  Bank.  At  the  first  meet 
ing  after  their  election,  the  Directors  choose  a  Pre 
sident.  The  President  is  selected  from  the  Di 
rectors. 

The  number  of  votes  to  which  stockholders  are 
entitled,  are,  for  one  share  and  not  more  than  two, 
one  vote  ;  for  every  two  shares  above  two,  and  not 
exceeding  ten,  one  vote  ;  for  every  four  shares 
above  ten,  and  not  exceeding  thirty,  one  vote  ;  for 
every  six  shares  above  thirty,  and  not  exceeding 
sixty,  one  vote;  for  every  eight  shares  above  sixty, 
and  not  exceeding  one  hundred,  one  vote  ;  and  for 
every  ten  shares  above  one  hundred,  one  vote  ;  but 
no  person,  co-partnership,  or  body  politic,  is  entitled 
to  more  than  thirty  votes.  No  share  or  shares  con 
fer  the  right  of  voting,  that  shall  not  have  been  held 
three  calendar  months  previous  to  the  day  of  elec 
tion.  No  stockholders  but  those  actually  resident, 
within  the  United  States,  can  vote  by  proxy. 

By  the  act  of  March  3d,  1819,  it  is  provided  that  any  per 
son  offering  more  than  thirty  votes,  including-  those  offered  in 
his  own  right,  and  those  offered  by  him  as  attorney,  &c.  the 
judges  of  the  election  are  required  to  administer  an  oath  to 
the  person  so  offering  more  than  thirty  votes,  to  the  following- 
effect  :  "  That  he  has  no  interest,  directly  or  indirectly,  in 
the  shares  upon  which  he  offers  to  vote  as  attorney ;  and  that 
the  shares  are,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief,  truly, 
and  in  good  faith,  owned  by  the  persons  in  whose  names  they 
stand  at  that  time."  No  person  is  allowed  to  vote  as  proxy, 
&c.  without  a  power,  witnessed  with  an  oath,  endorsed,  and 
fi? >d  in  Bank,  that  the  giver  of  the  proxy,  "  is  the  real  and  anly 
owner  of  the  shares  specified  in  the  power  of  attorney,  that 
he  owns  no  other  shares  ;  that  no  other  person  has  any  inter 
est  in  the  said  shares,  and  that  no  other  power,  now  in  force, 
has  been  given  to  any  other  person,  to  vote  at  any  election  of 
Directors  of  the  said  Bank.  Judges  of  elections,  permitting 
-any  person  to  give  more  than  thirty  votes  at  one  election-, 
20 


210 

without  taking  the  oath  prescribed  by  law,  are  subject  to  ? 
fine  not  exceeding  two  thousand  dollars,  or  to  imprisonment 
not  exceeding  one  year :  and  persons  swearing  falsely,  are 
liable  to  the  pains  and  penalties  for  the  punishment  of  wilful 
and  corrupt  perjury. 

Persons  giving  money,  or  any  thing,  as  a  bribe, 
to  procure  the  interest,  &c.  of  the  President  or  any 
Director  of  the  Bank,  or  the  President  or  Director 
receiving  such  bribe,  are  forever  disqualified  from 
holding  any  office  of  honor,  trust,  or  profit,  under  the 
Corporation,  or  under  the  United  States. 

Not  more  than  three  fourths  of  the  Directors 
elected  by  the  Stockholders,  nor  more  than  four- 
fifths  of  those  appointed  by  the  United  States,  shall 
serve  two  successive  years  ;  no  Director  shall  hold 
his  office  more  than  three  years  out  of  four  in  suc 
cession  ;  but  the  Director  who  is  President,  may 
serve  without  limitation. 

None  but  a  Stockholder,  resident  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  shall  be  a  Director,  nor  shall  be  en 
titled  to  any  emolument. 

Seven  Directors  may  constitute  a  board,  of  whom 
the  President  shall  always  be  one,  unless  unavoida 
bly  prevented,  in  which  case  his  place  may  be  sup 
plied  by  any  other  Director  whom  he,  by  writing 
under  his  hand,  may  depute  for  that  purpose. 

A  number  of  Stockholders,  not  less  than  sixty,  if 
proprietors  of  one  thousand  shares,  have  power  to 
call  a  general  meeting  of  the  Stockholm!-0 vs,  giving 
ten  weeks  notice  in  two  newspapers  of  the  place 
where  the  Bank  is  seated,  and  specifying  the  object 
of  fhe  meeting. 

The  Cashier  is  required  to  give  bond  with  two  or 
more  sureties,  in  a  sum  not  less  than  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  as  a  security  for  the  faithful  performance  of 
his  duties. 


211 

The  Lands,  &c.  lawful  for  the  Bank  to  hold,  is 
only  for  its  immediate  accommodation  in  business, 
or  iTK>rt<roged  to  it  as  security  or  satisfaction  for 
df •!.*..  previously  contracted,  or  purchased  at  sales 
i}'.,,  ju  '  ents  for  such  debts. 

Tha  total  amount  of  debts,  of  every  description, 
which  ih<i  Bank  shall  at  any  time  owe,  must  not  ex 
ceed  thirty-five  millions  of  dollars,  unless  authorised 
by  law  to  exceed  that  amount.  In  case  of  excess, 
the  Directors  under  whose  administration  it  takes 
place,  are  liable  in  their  private  capacities.  This 
provision,  however,  does  not  exempt  the  property  of 
the  Bank  from  being,  also,  liable.  Directors  who 
may  dissent,  or  be  absent,  when  such  excess  is  crea 
ted,  on  giving  notice  thereof  to  the  President  of  the 
United  Slates,  and  to  the  Stockholders,  are  exone 
rated  from  such  liability. 

The  Bank  is  prohibited  from  dealing  or  trading  in  any 
thing,  except  bills  of  exchange,  gold  and  silver  bullion,  or 
sales  of  goods  pledged  for  moneys  lent  by  the  Bank.  It  can 
not  become  the  purchaser  of  any  public  debt,  nor  take  more 
than  six  per  centum  per  annum  for  or  upon  its  loans  or  dis- 
€ounts. 

The  Bank  cannot  loan  more  than  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  the  United  Slates;  or  to  any  particular  State  an 
amount  exceeding  fifty  thousand  dollars  ;  or  to  any  foreign 
Prince  or  State,  unless  previously  authorised  by  a  law  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Stock  is  assignable  and  transferable,  according  to 
rules  established  by  the  Bank. 

Bills  obligatory  and  of  credit,  under  the  seal  of  the  Bank, 
made  to  any  person,  are  assignable  by  the  endorsement  of 
such  person.  But  the  Bank  is  prohibited  from  making  any 
bill  obligatory,  &c.  under  its  seal,  for  a  sum  less  than  five 
thousand  dollars.  All  bills  issued  by  order  of  the  Bank,  and 
signed  by  the  President  and  Cashier,  are  bin-ling  as  if  made 
by  private  persons.  All  bills  or  notes  so  issued,  are  payable 
on  demand,  except  such  as  are  for  the  p  .yment  of  a  sum  not 
less  thnn  one  hundred  dollars,  which  ms\  be  made  payable  to 
order,  at  any  time  not  exceeding  sixty  days  from  date. 


212 

Half-yearly  dividends  of  the  profits  may  be  made.  And 
once  in  three  years  the  Directors  must  lay  before  the  Stock 
holders  an  exact  and  particular  statement  of  the  situation  of 
the  Bank. 

The  Directors  of  the  Bank  are  authorised  to  es 
tablish  Offices  of  Discount  and  Deposite  whereso 
ever  they  shall  think  fit,  within  the  United  States,  or 
the  Territories  thereof.  Or,  instead  of  establishing 
such  offices,  it  is  lawful  for  the  Directors  to  employ 
any  other  Bank  or  Banks,  to  be  first  approved  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States, 
to  transact  business  other  than  discounting.  Not 
more  than  thirteen,  nor  less  than  seven  Directors  of 
every  Office  of  Discount  and  Deposite,  shall  be  an 
nually  appointed  by  the  Directors  of  the  Bank,  to 
serve  for  one  year :  each  shall  be  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  a  resident  of  the  State  or  Terri 
tory  where  the  Office  is  established  :  not  more  than 
three-fourths  of  those  in  office,  shall  be  appointed 
for  the  next  succeeding  year ;  and  no  Director  can 
hold  his  office  more  than  three  years  out  of  four  in 
•succession ;  but  the  President  may  be  always  re- 
appoirited. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United 
States,  must  be  furnished,  as  often  as  he  may  require, 
not  exceeding  once  a  wcekr  with,  full  statements  of 
the  concerns  of  the  Bank,  and  he  has  a  right  to  exa 
mine  such  of  the  books  of  the  Bank  as  relate  to  said 
statement. 

No  Stockholder,  unless  he  be  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  has  a  vote  in  the  choice  of  Directors,, 

No  note  can  be  issued  of  less  amount  than  five 
dollars. 

If  the  Bank,  or  any  person  on  its  account,  shall 
deal  or  trade,  in  any  respect  contrary  to  its  charter, 
every  person  concerned  as  agent  or  party  therein, 


213 

shall  forfeit  treble  the  value  of  the  goods,  <fcc.  ia 
which  such  dealing  shall  have  been  ;  one  half  there 
of  to  the  informer,  the  other  to  the  United  States  ;  to 
be  recovered  in  any  action  of  law,  with  costs  of  suit. 
The  bills  or  notes  of  the  Bank,  are  receivable  in 
all  payments  to  the  United  States,  until  otherwise 
directed  by  act  of  Congress. 

The  Banks  must,  whenever  required  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  give  the  necessary  facilities  for  transferring-  the 
public  funds  from  place  to  place,  within  the  United  States,  for 
the  payment  of  public  creditors,  without  charging  commis 
sions  ;  and  also  perform  the  duties  of  Commissioners  of  Loans. 

The  deposites  of  moneys  of  the  United  States,  in  places  in 
which  the  Bank  or  its  branches  are  established,  must  be  made 
in  the  Bank  or  its  branches,  unless  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  shall  otherwise  direct;  in  .which  case  he  must  im 
mediately  lay  before  Congress,  if  in  session,  and  if  not,  imme 
diately  after  the  commencement  of  the  next  session,  the  rea 
sons  of  such  direction. 

The  Bank  is  prohibited  from  suspending  pay 
ments  in  specie.  In  case  of  suspension,  the  holder 
of  any  bill,  &c.  can  recover  the  amount  thereof,  and 
until  it  is  paid,  is  entitled  to  interest  at  the  rate  of 
twelve  per  centum  per  annum. 

Forging,  counterfeiting,  &c.  the  Notes,  &c.  of  the  Bank,  is 
felony,  and  punishable  by  imprisonment  and  hard  labor,  or  im 
prisonment  and  fine. 

If  any  person  shall  engrave,  or  have  in  his  possession,  any 
metallic  plate,  similar  to  the  plates  from  which  the  notes,  &c. 
of  the  Bank  are  printed,  or  shall  cause  or  suffer  the  same  to 
be  used,  &c.  shall,  upon  conviction,  be  sentenced  to  imprison 
ment  at  hard  labor  not  exceeding  five  years,  or  imprisoned  not 
exceeding  five  years,  and  fined  in  a  sum  not  exceeding  one 
thousand  dollars. 

No  other  Bank  shall  be  chartered  by  Congress 

during  the  continuance  of  the  charter  of  the  Bank 

of  the  United  States,  except  within  the  District  of 

Columbia.     And  the  Corporation  of  the  Bank  shall 

30* 


214 

exist  for  two  years  after  the  expiration  of  its  charter, 
for  the  close  of  its  concerns. 

Committees  of  either  House  of  Congress  have 
power  to  inspect  the  books  of  the  Bank,  and  to  ex 
amine  into  its  proceedings,  &c.  and  whenever  there 
is  reason  to  believe  the  charter  has  been  violated,  a 
scire  facias  may  be  sued  out  of  the  Circuit  Court  for 
the  District  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the  name  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  Bank  compelled  to  show 
cause  why  the  charter  should  not  be  declared  for 
feited  5  and  it  i§  lawful  for  the  said  Court  to  examine 
into  the  truth  of  .he  alleged  violation,  and  if  such 
violation  be  made  appear,  then  to  pronounce  the 
charter  forfeited.  The  final  Judgment  of  the  Court 
aforesaid  is  examinable  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  Slates,-— Force's  National  Calendar,  1823. 


(116.)  Piracies  in  the  We^t  Indies. 

The  American  commerce  had  for  several  years 
suffered  severely,  in  consequence  of  the  depreda 
tions  committed  by  pirates.  The  West  Indian  Seas 
were  infested  with  these  marauders,  and  transactions 
of  the  most  flagrant  and  outrageous  character  had 
become  frequent.  Great  quantities  of  property 
were,  seized  by  them,  and  their  captives  were  often 
murdered  in  the  most  inhuman  manner.  They  re 
spected  no  law,  and  the  flag  of  no  nation.  An  event 
occurred  in  1822,  which  excited  general  attention, 
and  showed  that  the  evil  had  become  so  alarming  as 
to  call  loudly  for  the  strong  arm  of  Government  to, 
interpose  for  the  protection  of  its  citizens.  The  Al 
ligator,  United  States  schooner,  was  about  entering 
the  harbor  of  Ma  tan  zas,  when  information  was  re 
ceived- that  two  American  vessels,  which  the  pirates 


bad  just  captured,  were  lying  a  short  distance 
that  place.  The  Alligator  was  immediately  ordered 
to  their  relief.  An  engagement  with  the  pirates  en 
sued,  in  which  the  Americans  were  victorious. 
They  recaptured  five  American  vessels  which  were 
in  possession  of  the  pirates,  and  took  one  piratical 
schooner.  But  Allen,  the  brave  commander  of  the 
Alligator,  was  wounded  in  the  engagement,  and  died 
in  a  few  hours.  His  death  excited  much  feeling 
throughout  the  United  States. 

The  pirates  made  the  island  of  Cuba  their  general 
rendezvous,  and  they  carried  their  depredations  to 
such  an  extent,  that  it  was  extremely  dangerous  for 
vessels  to  enter  or  leave  the  port  of  Havana.  Con 
gress  at  length  passed  a  law  appropriating  a  sum  of 
money  to  fit  out  an  expedition  for  the  suppression 
of  piracy.  Commodore  Porter,  to  whom  was  given 
the  command  of  this  expedition,  sailed  for  the  West 
Indies,  and  after  touching  at  Porto  Rico,  arrived  at 
Matanzas  with  a  squadron  consisting  of  a  steam- 
frigate,  eight  schooners.,  and  five  barges.  No  cap 
tures  were  made  by  this  squadron,  as  the  pirates  had 
obtained  knowledge  of  their  movements  ;  but  the, 
object  of  their  going  out  was  accomplished  in  the 
protection  afforded  to  commerce.  The  American 
squadron  remained  near  the  islands,  and  afforded 
convoys  to  merchant  vessels  ;  and  in  consequence 
of  this  protection  of  the  sea,  the  pirates  were  com* 
pelled  to  remain  upon  the  islands,  where  they  com 
mitted  depredations  upon  the  inhabitants.  But  one 
vessel  was  taken  from  the  Americans  during  this 
time,  and  that  was  recaptured  by  Commodore 
Porter — WMarfs  Hist.  U.  £ 


216 


(117.)    Western  Antiquities. 

The  numerous  remains  of  ancient  fortifications, 
mounds,  &c.  found  in  the  Western  States,  are  the 
admiration  of  the  curious,  and  a  matter  of  much 
speculation. 

They  are  mostly  of  an  oblong  form,  situated  on 
well  chosen  ground,  and  near  the  water. 

One  of  the  fortifications  or  towns  at  Marietta, 
(Ohio,)  contains  forty  acres,  accompanied  by  a  wall 
of  earth  from  six  to  ten  feet  high.  On  each  side  are 
three  openings  at  equal  distances,  resembling  gate 
ways.  The  works  are  undoubtedly  very  ancient, 
as  there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  difference  in  the 
age  or  size  of  the  timber  growing  on  or  within  the 
walls,  and  that  which  grows  without;  and  the  In 
dians  have  lost  all  tradition  respecting  them.  Dr. 
Cutler,  who  accurately  examined  the  trees  on  the 
works  at  Marietta,  thinks  from  appearances,  that 
they  are  on  the  second  growth,  and  that  the  works 
must  have  been  built  upwards  of  1000  years. 

At  a  convenient  distance  from  these  works  al 
ways  stands  a  mound  of  earth,  thrown  up  in  the  form 
of  a  pyramid.  Upon  examination  some  of  these 
mounds  are  found  to  contain  an  immense  number  of 
human  skeletons. 

The  ancient  works  on  the  western  branches  of 
the  Muskingum  river,  extend  nearly  two  miles,  the 
ramparts  of  which  are  now  in  some  places  more 
than  eighteen  feet  in  perpendicular  height.  There 
must  have  been  a  dense  population  to  have  erected 
such  works  as  these,  and  a  people  more  devoted  to 
labor,  than  the  present  race  of  Indians. 

The  most  probable  conjecture  respecting  these 
people  is,  that  they  were  of  Tartar  origin,  and 
came  across  to  this  continent  near  Beering's  Straits*, 


217 

knd  going  southward,  folio wed  the  course  of  the 
great  rivers — finding  the  soil  fruitful  on  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi,  resided  there  for  a  while,  till  at  length  fol 
lowing  each  other  they  established  themselves  in  the 
warm  and  fertile  vales  of  Mexico. 


(118.)  Erie  Canal. 

This  Grand  Canal,  the  longest  in  the  world,  (if  we 
except  the  Imperial  Canal  of  China,)  was  commen 
ced  July  4th,  1817,  and  completed  Oct.  26th,  18-5, 
at  the  expense  of  about  eight  millions-  of  dollars. 

This  Canal  extends  from  Albany  on  the  Hudson, 
to  Buffalo  on  Lake  Erie,  a  distance  of  350  miles. 
From  the  Lake  to  the  River  there  is  generally  a  de 
scent,  though  in  some  places  there  is  an  ascent :  so 
that  the  aggregate  of  rise  and  fall  is  662  feet,  and 
the  difference  of  level  between  the  Lake  arid  River 
is  564  feet. 

The  Canal  is  40  feet  wide  on  the  surface,  28  at  the 
bottom,  and  4  feet  deep.  It  contains  80  locks,  with 
several  considerable  embankments  and  aqueducts. 
I;  is  the  property  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
will  probably  afford  a  large  revenue  for  public  pur 
poses. 

When  the  Canal  was  completed,  October  26,  a 
Canal  Boat  from  Lake  Erie  entered  the  Canal, 
which  event  was  announced  by  the  tip  rig  <>i'  cannon 
placed  at  suitable  distances,  from  Lake  Erie  to  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  from  thence  back  again  to 
Lake  Erie, 

On  the  5th  of  November,  when  the  Canal  Boat  ar 
rived  at  the  city  of  New  York,  the  day  was  celebra 
ted  by  splendid  processions,  military  parades,  £c, 
fcc. 


218 


In  the  aquatic  procession,  which  accompanied 
the  Canal  boat  from  New- York  to  Sandy  Hook, 
were  22  Steamboats  and  Barges.  When  they  ar 
rived  at  the  Hook,  Governor  Clinton  went  through 
the  ceremony  of  uniting  the  waters,  by  pouring  that 
of  Lake  Erie  into  the  Atlantic. 


(119.)  Gen.  La .  Fayetttfs  Visit. 

Gilbert  Mottie  La  Fayette,  the  Marquis  de  La 
Fayette,  America's  early  and  tried  friend,  was  born 
on  the  6th  of  September,  1767,  in  the  province  of 
Auverne,  now  the  department  of  Haute  Loire,  in 
France,  about  400  miles  from  Paris. 

He  sprang  from  the  ancient  and  illustrious  family 
of  Mottle,  which,  for  several  centuries  past,  has  add 
ed  the  name  of  La  Fayette.  In  1774,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  he  was  married  to  the  Countess  Anastasie 
de  Noailles,  daughter  of  the  Duke  de  Noailles.  The 
fortune  of  this  lady,  added  to  his  own,  increased  his 
income  to  about  40,000  dollars  annually  ;  an  im 
mense  revenue  at  that  period. 

The  contest  between  Great  Britain  and  her  North 
American  Colonies,  was  a  subject  of  much  interest 
to  the  nations  of  Europe,  especially  to  the  French 
people.  The  Marquis  La  Fayette,  fired  with  enthu 
siastic  ardor  in  the  cause  of  Liberty,  tore  himself 
from  an  affectionate  family  and  the  honors  of  the 
Court,  and  notwithstanding  the  prohibition  of  the 
French  Court,  embarked  for  A  r  erica  in  January, 
1777,  and  entered  the  American  army  as  a  volun 
teer,  without  compensation.  The  American  Con 
gress,  struck  with  his  magnanimity,  gave  him  the 
commission  of  a  Major  General  in  the  army  of  the 
IJnited  States. 


219 

His  gallant  conduct  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine, 
(where  he  was  wounded,)  and  at  many  other  places 
till  the  close  of  the  war,  proved  him  worthy  of  the 
confidence  placed  in  him. 

La  Fayptte  likewise  gave  large  sums  for  the  pur 
pose  of  clothing  arid  arming  the  American  troops. 

After  the  close  of  the  revolutionary  war,  La  Fay- 
ette  returned  to  France,  where  he  was  appointed 
commander  of  the  French  armies.  During  the  furi 
ous  and  bloody  storm  of  the  French  Revolution,  he 
was  obliged  to  flee,  and  surrender  himself  to  the  Aus- 
trians,  who  imprisoned  him  in  the  castle  of  Qlmutz* 

Having  suffered  a  rigorous  imprisonment  for  five 
years,  he  was  through  the  influence  of  Buonaparte 
(afterwards  Emperor  of  France)  released  on  the 
25th  of  August,  1797. 

After  an  absence  of  forty  years,  General  La 
Fayette  determi-ned  once  more  to  visit  the  country 
of  his  adoption.  Congress  hearing  of  his  determi 
nation,  offered  a  public  ship  for  the  conveyance  of 
the  "  NATION'S  GUEST,"  but  he  politely  declined 
their  offer,  and  chose  a  private  conveyance.  He, 
accordingly,  with  his  son,  George  Washington  La 
Fayette,  embarked  at  Havre,  on  board  the  ship 
Cadmus,  and  arrived  at  New- York,  Aug.  16,  1824. 

He  was  received  with  enthusiastic  demonstrations 
of  joy,  by  all  classes  of  the  American  people.  From 
New-York  he  proceeded  by  land  to  Boston,  passing 
through  New-Haven,  and  Providence.  From  Bos 
ton  he  proceeded  to  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  from  whence 
he  returned  to  Boston,  and  New-York,  passing 
through  Worcester,  Hartford,  and  Middletown. 
From  New- York  he  went  up  the  Hudson,  visiting 
Albany  and  other  places  on  the  river.  Returning  to 
New-York,  he  proceeded  on  to  Philadelphia,  Balti 
more,  and  Washington.  Here  he  was  received  by 


220 

the  House  of  Representatives  and  Senate  of  the  Uni 
ted  States,  who  voted  him  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  a  township  of  land,  for  the  important  ser 
vices  rendered  by  him  during  the  Revolutionary  war. 

General  La  Fayette  commenced  his  tour  from 
Washington,  through  the  southern  and  western 
States,  and  returned  to  Albany  by  the  way  of  Buf 
falo  and  the  Grand  Canal.  From  Albany  he  pro 
ceeded  through  Springfield,  to  Boston,  where  he  ar 
rived  on  the  16th  of  June,  and  was  received  by  the 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  then  in  session.  On 
the  17th  he  was  present  at  the  ceremony  of  laying 
the  foundation  stone  of  the  Bunker  Hill  Monument. 
He  then  visited  the  States  of  New-Hampshire,  Maine, 
and  Vermont,  and  returned  to  New- York  to  partici 
pate  in  the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
American  Independence. 

He  took  his  final  leave  of  New-York,  July  14th, 
visited  the  Ex-Presidents  in  Virginia,  and  soon  after 
embarked  for  France,  on  board  the  frigate  Brandy- 
iciwe,  followed  with  the  grateful  benedictions  of  th^ 
American  people. 


Ohio 


Westeni  Antiquities 

JTcw-Tbrk 


119 


.  Z*i  Rtycttes  Visit 


A 
CHRONOLOGICAL,    TABLE, 

OF    THE 

DISCOVERIES,  SETTLEMENTS,   WARS,  AND  RE* 
MARKABLE  EVENTS, 

IN    THE 

UNITED  STATES* 


DISCOVERIES  AND  SETTLEMENTS. 

1492  America  first  discovered  by  Columbus. 

1497  North  America  first  discovered  by  Sebastian  Cabot,  a 
Venetian,  in  the  service  of  England. 

1512  John  Ponce  de  Leon  discovered  and  named  Florida, 
from  its  being  discovered  on  Easter  day,  or  feast  of 
flowers. 

1528  P.  de  Narvaez,  with  400  men,  lands  in  Florida,  and  at 
tempts  the  conquest  of  the  country.  He  is  defeated 
by  the  natives. 

1535  Cartier,  a  Frenchman,  first  attempts  a  settlement  in 
Canada.  >  "^ 

1539  Ferdinand  de  Soto,  a  Spaniard,  landed  in  Florida,  with 
1200  men,  in  search  of  gold.  He  penetrated  into  the 
country,  and  discovered  the  Mississippi. 

1562  Ribault,  with  a  colony  of  French  Protestants,  began  a 
settlement  on  the  Edisto.  It  was  abandoned. 

1584  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  obtains  a  patent  for  making  dis 
coveries. 

Amadas  and  Barlow,  by  order  of  Raleigh,  landed  on 
Woconon  and  Roanoke.  On  their  return,  Queen 
Elizabeth  named  the  country  Virginia. 

-1585  Sir  R.  Grenville  sent  with  7  vessels  to  settle  Virginia. 
A  colony  left  at  Roanoke,  under  Gov.  Lane.     The 
colony  returned  to  England  fr^  next  year. 
1 


ji  CHRONOLOGIC  AT.   TABLE* 

1586  Grenville  left  a  second  colony  at  Roanoke,  which  was 

destroyed  by  the  natives. 

1587  A  third  colony,  under  Gov.  White,  left  at  Roanoke. 

Gov.  White  returned  to  England  for  supplies.  He 
came  back  in  1590,  but  not  finding- the  men  he  had 
left,  he  returned  to  England. 

1602  Bartholomew  Gosnold  sailed  to  America,  named  Cape 
Cod,  discovered  Martha's  Vineyard,  and  the  adjacent 
Islands,  built  a  fort  and  store-house,  but  returned  to 
England  the  same  year. 

1607  Capt.  Newport  arrived  in  Virginia,  and  began  the  first 

permanent  British  settlement  in  North  America,  at 
Jamestown,  in  Virginia. 

1608  Capt.  Smith  first  explored  the  Chesapeake. 

Canada  settled  by  the  French,  Quebec  founded  July  3d'. 

1610  Capt.  Henry  Hudson,  an  Englishman,  in  the  service  of 

the"  Dutch,  discovers  the  Manhattan,  now  Hudson 
river. 

1611  Champlain,  a  Frenchman,  discovered  the  lake  which 

now  bears  his  name. 

1614  Capt.  Smith  made  a  fishing  voyage  to  the  northern  part 
of  America.  Made  a  chart  of  the  coast,  which  he 
presented  to  Prince  Charles,  who  named  the  country 
New  England. 

Settlements  commenced  by  the  Dutch,  at  Manhattan, 
now  New- York,  at  Albany,  and  in  New-Jersey. 

1619  Capt.  Dermer,  the  first  Englishman  who  sailed  through 

Long-Island  Sound. 

1620  Plymouth  settlers  arrived  at  Plymouth,  Dec.  22. 
16.23  First  settlement  of  New-Hampshire,  at  Dover,  and  at 

Little  Harbor. 

1627  Delaware  and  Pennsylvania  settled  by  the  Swedes  and 
Fins. 

1629  Salem  settled  by  Gov.  Endicott, 

1630  Charlestown,  Boston,  Watertown,  and  Dorchester,  set 

tled  by  Gov.  VVintJirop  and  others. 
T633  Maryland  settled  by  Lord  Baltimore  and  a  colony  of 

Roman  Catholics. 
The  Dutch  erect  a  fort  on  Connecticut  river,  in  the 

present  town  of  Hartford. 
The   Plymouth  people  erect  a  trading  house  in  the 

present  town  of  Windsor,  Con. 
^634  Wethersfield,  Cen.  settled  by  people  from  Dorchester^ 


.CHRONOLOGICAL.    TABLE.  Jit- 

1-635  Windsor  settled  by  people  from  Dorchester. 

Saybrook  fort  built  by  J.  Winthrop's  men. 
1636  Hartford  settled  by  Mr.  Hooker  and  his  congregation. 

Providence,  K.  I.  settled  and  named  by  Roger  Williams. 

1638  New-Haven  settled  by  Messrs.  Davenport,  Eaton,  and 

others. 
Exeter,  New-Hampshire,  founded. 

1639  Newport,  Rhode-Island,  settled. 

Milford,  Guilford,  Stratford,  and  Saybrook,  io  Con. 
settled. 

J640  Southampton,  on  Long-Island,  settled  by  people  from 
Lynn,  Mass. 

1642  T.  May  hew  and  others  settle  Martha's  Vineyard. 

1648  New-London,  Con.  settled. 

1654  Col.  Wood,  of  Virginia,  sent  a  company  of  men  to  ex 
plore  the  country  of  the  Ohio. 

1658  Northampton  and  Hadley,  Mass,  settled  by  people  from 
Connecticut. 

1663  Carolina  planted. 

1664  Elizabeth  town,  New-Jersey,  settled. 

1665  Sir  J.  Yeamans  settled  01  the  southern  banks  of  Cape 

Fear  river,  with  a  colony  from  Barbadoes. 
1677  Burlington,  N.  J.  settled  by  a  number  of  families  from 

Yorkshire,  Eng. 
1680  Charleston,  South-Carolina,  settled. 

1682  Pennsylvania  settled    by  William    Penn  and   others, 

Philadelphia  founded. 

1683  Germantown,  Pa.  settled  by  a  number  of  Quakers  from 

Germany. 
1682  M.  de  la  Salle  descended  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth, 

took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  Louis 

14th,    the  French   King,    and   named  the  country 

Louisiana. 

1692  A  fort  built  at  Pemaquid  by  Sir  William  Phips. 
1702  The  French  send  colonies  into  Louisiana. 
1710  2700  Palatines,  from  Germany,  arrived  and  settled  i» 

New- York  and  Pennsylvania. 
1717  New-Orleans  founded  by  the  French. 

1 722  Gov.  Burnet,  of  N.  Y.  erects  a  trading  house  at  OswegoV 

1723  First  settlement  in  Vermont. 

1*24  Trenton,  N.  J.  founded  by  William  Trent. 
1731   Fort  at  Crown  Point  built  by  the  French. 
1733  Georgia  settled  by  Mr.  Oglethorpe  and  others'.:- 
A  eolonv  of  Swiss  came  to  Carolina;' 


|V  CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 

1740  Tennessee  explored  by  Col.  Wood,  Patton,  Dr.  Walker 

and  others. 

1741  The  Moravians,  or  United  Brethren,  began  the   settler 

mcnt  of  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania. 
1749  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  settled  by  the  British. 
1756  Fort  Loudon,  on  the  Tennessee  river,  built. 

1764  A  large  body  of  German  settlers  arrive  in  Carolina. 

1765  The  settlement  of  Tennessee  commenced. 

1771  Nootka  Sound,  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  disco 
vered  by  Capt.  Cook. 

1773  Kentucky' settled  by  Col.  Boon  and  others. 

V774  Connecticut  formed  a  township  on  the  Susquehanna, 
40  miles  square,  called  Westmoreland,  and  annexed 
it  to  the  county  of  Litchfield. 

3787 — 8  Twenty  thousand  settlers,  men,  women,  and  chil 
dren,  passed  the  Muskingum  river  in  Ohio. 
1804Capt.  Lewis  and  Clarke  explored  the  Missouri  to  its 
source,  crossed  the  Rocky  mountains,  arrived  at  the 
Pacific  Ocean  in  November,  1805,  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  1806. 

1312  First  house  in  Eochestcr,  N.  Y.  built. 


EVENTS,  &c 

1614  The  Dutch  built  a  fort  at  Manhattan,  (near  New-York.) 
1622  The  Indians  massacred  349  of  the  Virginia  colonists, 

March  22. 

Narragansett  Indians  threaten  war. 
3623    Massasoit  discloses  an  Indian  conspiracy. 

1634  The  Indians  in  Connecticut  began  hostilities. 

1635  Fort  built  at  Saybrook,  Con. 

1637  War  with  the  Pequots  in  Connecticut ;  their  fort  takep 

by  surprise  and  destroyed,  May  26. 

1638  Uncaa*.  sachem  of  the  Mohegans,  makes  a  treaty  with 

the  English. 

1642  The   Dutch  Fort  at  Hartford,    seized  by  the  inhabit 

ants  of  Connecticut. 
Indian  war  in  Maryland. 

1643  War  between  the  Mohegans  and  Narragausetts. 

1645  Action  between  a  New  England  ship,  and   an  Irish 

man  of  war. 

1646  Battle  fought  between  the  Dutch  and  Indians,  near  the 

confines  of  Connecticut ;  great  numbers  slain  on 
both  sides. 


CHRONOLOGICAL 

1651  Dutch  trading  house  on  the  Delaware  taken  by  the 
Swedes. 

1654    The  Jroquois  Indians  exterminate  the  Erics. 

The  Dutch  extirpate  the  Swedes  from  the  Delaware. 

1664    .New  ,York  and  Albany    taken  from  the  Dutch. 

jf,^i.  War  between  the  N.  England  Indians  and  the  Mohawks 

l<67a>  New  York  arid  New  Netherlands  taken  by  the  Dutch— 
they  were  restored  to  the  English,  the  next  year. 

3675  King  Philip's  War  commenced;  action  at  Swanzey, 
June;  Brookfield  burnt ,  Deerfield  burnt,  Sept.  1; 
Hadicy  assaulted  ;  Springfield  burnt ;  Capt.  Lathrop, 
with  80  men,  surprised  by  the  Indians — almost  eve 
ry  man  slain,  September  18. 

Cov.  Winslow,  with  1000  men,  attacked  the  Narnsgan- 
setts,  (the  allies  of  Philip,)  in  their  fort :  the  fort  de 
stroyed,  and  their  country  ravaged,  December. 

1676  Lancaster  burnt ;  Capt.  Pierce  and  his  company,  slain; 
Capt.  Wadsworth,  and  about  50  of  his  men  killed  ; 
Fall  fight — the  Indians  surprised  in  the  night, — they 
lost  300  men,  women,  and  children,  May  18;  Hat* 
field  and  Hadley  attacked. 

King  Philip  killed,  August  12 — which  ends  the  war. 
Bacon's  Insurrection  in  Virginia;  Jamestown  burnt. 

^677  Insurrection  in  Carolina;  the  insurgents  exercised  au~ 
thority  for  two  years  in  that  colony. 

1678  Fort  built  at  Pemaquid  ;  treaty  at  Oasco  with  the  In 
dians. 

1636  Port  Royal,  Carolina,  broken  up  by  the  Spaniards  from 
St.  Augustine. 

1687  The  French,  under  Denonville,  make  war  upon  the 
Seneca  Indians. 

1.688    Qov.  A ndros5  expedition  against  the  eastern  Indians. 

1690  A  body  of  French  and  Indians,  from  Montreal,  burn 

Schenectady,  and  massacre  the  inhabitants,  Feb.  8.. 
Salmon  Falls  surprised  by  the  French  and  Indians. 
Casco  fort  destroyed ;  fort  at  Pemaquid  taken. 
Port  Royal  taken  by  Sir,  William  Phips — he  make* 

an  expedition   against  Quebec,  but  is  unsuccessful. 

1691  Major  Schuyler,  with  a  party  of  Mohawks,  attacks  the 

French  settlements  on  Lake  Champlain. 

1 692  The  French  and  Indians  attack  York  and  Wells. 

1693  Count  Frontenac,  Governor  of  Canada,  makes  an  ex 

pedition  against  the  Mohawks. 

1694  Gor.  Fletcher  makes  a  treaty  with  the  Five  Nations 


Vi  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLti 

1696    The  French  destroy  the  fort    at  Pemaquid  and  lay- 
waste  Nova  Scotia. 
1700    Carolina  infested  with  Pirates. 

1702  Gov.  Moore's  expedition  against  the  Spaniards,  at  &t. 

Augustine — it  proves  abortive. 

1703  Gov.  Moore  subdues  the  Apalachian  Indians. 

1704  Deerfield  burnt  and  most  of  the  inhabitants  carried 

captive  by  the  French  and  Indians,  Feb  28. 

1705  The  French  ravage  Newfoundland. 

1706  The  Spaniards  and  French  invade  Carolina — they  are 

defeated. 

1707  The  New  England  troops  make  an  unsuccessful  expe 

dition  against  Port  Royal. 

1708  Haverhill  surprised  by  the  French  and  Indians. 

1710  Port  Royal,  in  Nova  Scotia,  taken  by  General  Nichol 

son,  Oct  2. 

17 1 1  Expedition  against  Quebec — failed  by  the  loss  of  trans 

ports  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  August. 

1712  War   with  the  Tuscaroras  in  North  Carolina — they 

are  defeated. 

1715  A  general  conspiracy  against  the  Carolinians,  by  the 
Yamasees,  Cherokees,  and  other  tribes — Governor 
Craven  attacks  and  defeats  them  in  their  camp. 

1719    Pensacola  taken  by  the  French  from  the  Spaniards, 

1724    War  with  the  eastern  Indians. 

1730    The  Natchez  Indians  extirpated  by  the  French. 

1736    The  Chickasaw  Indians  defeat  the  French. 

1740  General  Oglethorp,  with  2,000  men,  makes  an  unsuc 

cessful  expedition  against  St.  Augustine. 

1741  Expedition  against  Cuba. 

1742  Spanish  expedition  against  Georgia — failed. 

1745  Louisburg  and  Cape  Breton   taken  by  the  New  Eng 

land  troops,  aided  by  a   British  squadron,  June  17. 

1746  French   expedition  under    Duke    D'Anville,    which 

threatened  New  England,  failed,  by  means  of  storms, 
sickness  in  the  fleet,  &c. 

1747  Saratoga  village  destroyed,  the  inhabitants  massacred 

by  the  French  and  Indians. 

1753  The  French  erect  forts  on  the  back  of  the  colonies. 

1754  Colonel  Washington  with  400  men,  in  fort  Necessity 

surrendered  to  the  French,  July  4. 

1755  Expedition  against  Nova  Scotia  ;  the  French  are  sub 

dued,  the  inhabitants  brought  away  and  dispersed 
among  the  colonies. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE,  1fitf 

1755  General  Braddock  defeated  by  the  French  and  In 

dians,  July  9. 

Battle  of  Lake  George  ;  the  French  under  baron  Di- 
eskau  defeated,  Dicskau  mortally  wounded,  Sept  8, 

1756  Oswego  taken  by  the  French  under  Rlontcalm. 

1757  Fort  William  Henry  capitulated  to  the  French,  many 

of  the  garrison  massacred  by  the  Indians. 

1758  Louisburg  taken  by  the  British,  July. 

General  Abercrombie  defeated  at  Ticonderoga  with 

great  loss  ;  Lord  Howe  killed,  July. 
Fort  Frontenac  taken  from  the  French  by  Colonel 

Bradstreet. 
Fort  du  Quesne  abandoned  by  the  French,  taken  by 

the  English,  and  named  Pittsburg,  Nov.  25. 

1759  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  taken  by  Gen.  Amherst 

Niagara  taken  by  the  English,  Gen.  Prideaux  killed 

The  English  repulsed  at   iMontmorency  near  Quebec. 

Battle  of  Quebec*  Gen.  Wolfe,  the  English  command 
er,  and  Montcalm,  the  French  commander,  killed ; 
the  French  defeated  and  Quebec  taken,  September. 
J7GO  M.  de  Levi  attempts  to  recover  Quebec,  he  is  com 
pelled  to  re  tire. 

Montreal  capitulated  to  the  English,  September,  and 
Canada  is  subdued. 

The  Cherokees  take  fort  Loudon  and  treacherously 
massacre  the  garrison. 

1761  The  Cherokees  defeated  by  Col.  Grant  and  compelled 

to  make  peace. 

1762  Havana  taken  by  the  British  and  provincials. 

1763  Treaty  of  peace  signed  at  Paris  between  Great  Brit 

ain   and  Franco;  (  anada,  Nova  Scotia,  and  Cape 
Breton,  confirmed  to  the  British  king. 
1768   Two  British  regiments  stationed  at  Boston,  Sept. 
1770   Massacre  in  Boston ;  the  British  troops  fired  upon  the 
inhabitants^    and   killed  three   and   wounded   five, 
March  5. 

1773    Tea  thrown  overboard  at  Boston,  December  16. 
1775   JUattle  at  Lexington,  which  began  the  revolutionary 

war,  April  19. 

Ticonderoga  taken  by  Col.  Allen,  May  10. 
George  Washington  appointed  commander  in  chief  of 
the  American  army,  June  15,  took  command  of  the 
troops  investing  Boston,  July  2. 
Generals  Howe,  Clinton,  and  Burgoyne,  with  a  rein-; 


Viit  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLEt 

forcement  from  England  arrived  at  Boston,  May  25. 
liattle  of  Hunker  Hill,  June  17. 
General  Montgomery   penetrated  into  Canada,  took 

fort  Chamblee,  St.  John's,  and  Montreal,  Nov. 
Colonel  Ethan  Allen  captured  near  Montreal  and  sent 

in  irons  to  England. 
Colonel  Arnold,  with  3,000  men,  penetrates  through 

the  wilderness  to  Canada. 
Assault  upon   Quebec ;  General  Montgomery  killed, 

and  the  Americans  defeated,  December  31. 
1776    Norfolk,  Va.  burnt  by  the  British,  January  1. 
Boston  evacuated  by  the  British,  March  17. 
Loyalists    defeated   in    North    Carolina   by   general 

Moore,  Febuary  27. 

Blockade  of  Quebec  raised  by  the  Americans,  May  5. 
A  body  of  Americans  at  the  Cedars  surrendered,  May. 
The  Americans  evacuate  Canada,  June  18. 
The  British  defeated  in  their  attack  on  Sullivan's  Isl 
and,  July  28. 
General  Howe  and  Admiral  Lord  Howe,  with  24,000 

men  arrive  at  Sandy  Hook,  June. 
Declaration  of  Independence,  July  4. 
Battle  on  Long  Island,  August  27. 
American  army  withdrawn  from  Long  Island,  Aug.  30. 
Captain  Nathan  Hale,  of  Con.  executed  as  a  spy. 
New  York  evacuated  by  the  Americans,  taken  posses 
sion  of  by  the  British,  September  15. 
General  Arnold  defeated  on  Lake  Champlain,  Oct.  12. 
Battle  at  the  White  Plains,  October  28. 
Fort  Washington  taken  with  about  2,000  prisoners, 

November  16. 

Fort  Lee  evacuated,  November  18. 
Americans  attack  fort  Cumberland,  Nova  Scotia,  but 

are  repulsed,  November  20. 
American  army  retreated  through  New  Jersey,    and 

crossed   the  'Delaware,    pursued  by  the  British,  No 
vember  and  December. 

The  British  take  possession  of  Rhode  Island,  Dec.  8. 
Congress  adjourn  to  Baltimore,  December  12. 
General  Lee  surprised  and  taken  prisoner,  Dec.  13. 
Battle  of  Trenton,  1000  Hessians  taken,  Dec.  26. 
1777    Battle  at  Princeton,  General  Mercer  killed,  Jan.  3. 
Washington  retires  to  Morristown. 
More  than  20,000  stands  of  arms  and  1.000  barrels  <jf 

nowder  arrive  from  France, 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  IX. 

Danbury  Con.  burnt,  General  Wooster  killed,  April  28 
Colonel  Meigs  crosses  over  to  Long  Island  from  Con. 
and  captures  90  of  the  British,  without  the  loss  of  a 
man,  May  23. 

General  Prescott  surprised  and  taken  prisoner  by  Co 
lonel  Barton,  of  Rhode  Island. 
Battle  of  Brandywine,    General  Lafayette  wounded* 

•  September  11. 
General  Wayne  surprised  and  defeated  with  the  loss 

of  about  300  men,  ^-eptember  28. 
The  British  takep  ossession  of  Philadelphia,  September 

27. 

Ticonderoga  evacuated  by  the  Americans,  July  6. 
Battle  at  Bennington,  August. 
Battle  of  German  town,  October  4. 
Burgoyne  encamps  at  Saratoga,  September  14. 
General  Burgoyne  surrendered  to  General  Gates,  Octo 
ber  17. 
Assault  on  Red  Bank ;  British  defeated  ;  Count  Donop 

killed. 

Treaty  of  Alliance,  with  France,  signed,  Feb  6. 
The  British  evacuate  Philadelphia,  June  18. 
Battle  of  Monmouth ;    many  soldiers  died  of  the  heat, 

June  28. 

Count  D'Estaing  arrives  with  a  French  fleet  off  New 
port,  July. 

Massacre  at  Wyoming,  July. 
Battle  on  Rhode  Island,  August  29  ;  Americans  re- 

treat  from  Rhode  Island,  August  30. 
Paul  Jones'   Naval  Battle,  on  the  coast  of  Scotland, 

Sept.  22. 
Col.  Bayton's  regiment  of  Cavalry  surprised  by  Gen, 

Grey,  Sept.  28. 
Expedition  of  the   Americans  against  East    Florida* 

failed. 
Savannah  taken  by  the  British,  under  Col.  Campbell, 

Dec.  29. 

The  American  Frigate  Randolph,  of  36  guns,  and  300 

men,  blown  up  in  an  engagement;  only  4  men  saved. 

Gen.    Ash  surprised  and  defeated  by  the  British  at 

Brier  Creek  with  the  loss  of  300  men,  March  3. 
Engagement  at  Stono  Ferry ;    Americans  obliged  to 

retreat,  June  20. 

Unsuccessful  assault  on  Savannah;  Count  Pulaski,  a 
3 


X  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE, 

Polish  officer  in  the  service  of  the  Americans,  raor 

tally  wounded,  October  9. 
The  British   make  incursions  into  Virginia ;  property 

to  an  immense  amount  destroyed. 
The  British  plunder  New  Jersey,  June. 
Gov.  Tryon  invades  and  plunders  New  Haven,  July  5  , 

Fairfield  and  Nonvalk  burnt. 
Stony  Point  taken  by  Gen.  Wayne,  July  15. 
The  Americans  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  against 

the  British  post  at  Penobscot. 
Gen.  Sullivan  ravages  the  country  of  the  Six  Nations, 

1780  Gen.  Lincoln  capitulated  and  Charleston,  S.  C.   sur 

rendered  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  May  12. 

Col.  Buford  defeated  at  the  Wexbaws  by  the  British 
under  Col.  Tarleton  ;  the  Americans  lost  about  300 
men,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  May  29. 

Col.  Sumpter  defeats  a  party  of  British  at  Williamson's 
plantation,  July  12 ;  and  a  body  of  Tories  at  Hang 
ing1  Rock,  August  6. 

Gen.  Rochambeau  arrives  at  Newport,  R.  I.  with  a 
French  fleet  and  army,  July  10. 

Battle  of  Camden;  the  Americans  under  Gen.  Gates 
defeated  August  16  ;  Baron  de  Kalb,  a  German  offi 
cer,  killed. 

Gen.  Sumpter  surprised  and  defeated  by  Col.  Tarleton^ 
August  18. 

Treason  of  Arnold  ;  Major  Andre  taken  and  execu 
ted,  October  2. 

Action  at  Kings  Mountain;  the  British  and  Tories,  un 
der  Major  Furguson,  defeated  with  the  loss  of  150 
killed,  and  800  prisoners,  October  7. 

Incursion  of  the  British  Gen.  Kniphausen,  into  New 
Jersey ;  action  near  Springfield,  N  J.  June  23. 

1781  Mutiny  in  the  Pennsylvania  line  of  troops,  Jan.  1. 
Gen.  Greene  takes  command  of  the  southern  Ameri 
can  army. 

Battle  of  the  Cowpens;    Gen.    Morgan  defeats   Col. 

Tarleton,  January  17. 
Battle  of  Guilford,  N.  C.   between  Gen  Greene,  and 

Lord  Cornwallis,  March  15. 
Gen.  Marion  takes  fort  Watson,  April  23. 
Fort  Cornwallis,  at  Augusta,  taken  June  5. 
Gen.  Greene  lays  siege  to  Ninety  Six,  but  is  repulsed^ 

Jane  18. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  XL 

The  combined  armies  under  Gen.  Washington,  decamp 
from  the  Hudson  and  inarch  for  Virginia,  August  19. 

"Vfew  London,  Con.  burnt,  fort  Griswold  stormed,  and 
the  garrison  put  to  the  sword  by  Arnold,  Septem 
ber  8. 

Battle  of  Eutaw  Springs;  Gen.  Greene  defeats  the 
British,  with  the  loss  of  1000  men,  September  8. 

Lord  Cornwallis  pursues  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette,. 
in  Virginia. 

Count  de  Grasse,  with  a  French  fleet,  and  3,200  troops,, 
enters  the  Chesapeake,  September. 

Yorktown  invested,  and  batteries  opened  against  it, 
October  9. 

The  British  army  under  Lord  Cornwallis,  surrendered 
at  Yorktown,  Va.,  to  Gen  Washington,  October  19  ; 
this  event  decided  the  Revolutionary  war. 

1782  The  British  evacuate  Savannah,  July. 

Provisional  articles  of  peace,  signed,  Independence  of 
the  United  States  acknoivledg-ed,  November  30. 

1783  Definitive  treaty  signed,  September  3. 
The  army  disbanded,  October  18. 

Farewell  address   of    Gen.   Washington  to  the  army, 

November  2. 
Gen.  Washington  resigned  his  commission,  Dec.  23. 

1790  Gen.  Harmer  defeated  by  the  Indians  in  Ohio. 

1791  Gen.  St.  Clair  defeated  by  the  Indians. 

1794    Gen.  Wayne  gains  a  decisive  victory  over  the  Indians 

on  the  Miami.,  August  20. 
1797    Collisions  with  the  French  Republic. 
1*798    Gen.   Washington  appointed  to  command  the  armies 

of  the  United  States,  July  7. 

1799  Capt.  Truxton,  in  the  Constellation,  took  the  French 

Frigate  Insurgent,  February  10. 

1800  Treaty  of  Peace  with  France,  September  30. 

1803  War  with  Tripoli. 

1804  Corn.  Preble  makes  an  ineffectual  attack  on  Tripoli. 

1805  Gen.   Eaton,  takes  possession  of  Derne,    a  Tripolitan 

city,  and  a  peace  with  Tripoli  soon  after  ensues. 

;1807  The  American  frigate  Chesapeake  fired  into  by  the 
British  frigate  Leopard,  off  the  capes  of  Virginia,  4 
men  killed,  and  16  wounded,  June  22. 

1809  Non-intercourse  with  Great  Britain  and  France,  estab 
lished  by  Congress,  March  1. 

1811    Engagement  between  the  American  frigate  President, 


3&  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 

Capt.  Rogers  and  the  British  sloop  of  war  Little  Be'lfc 
Capt.  Binghafrn,  May. 

Battle  of  Tippacanoe  between  Gen.  Harrison  and  the 

Indians,  November  7. 

1012  Declaration  of  War  by  the  United  States,  against 
Great  Britain,  June  18. 

Gen.  Hull  surrendered  his  army,  and  the  fort  of  De 
troit  to  the  British,  August  16. 

U.  S.  frigate  Constitution,  Capt.  Hull,  captured  the 
British  frigate  Gurriere,  Capt.  Dacres,  August  19. 

400  men,  women,  and  children,  massacred  at  fort 
Mimms,  on  the  Alabama,  by  the  Indians,  August  30. 

U.  S.  frigate  United  States,  Com.  Decatur,  captured 
the  Macedonian.  October  2S. 

Battle  of  Queenstown,  U.  C.;  Gen.  Brock  killed,Oct.  3. 

U.  S   frigate  Constitution,  Com.  Bainbridge,  captured 

the  Java,  December  29. 

J813  Bloody  action  at  the  river  Raisin,  between  Americans 
under  Gen.  Winchester,  and  the  British  and  Indians 
under  Gen.  Proctor:  Gen.  Winchester  killed,  and 
the  American  prisoners  massacred  by  the  Indians, 
January  22. 

U.  S.  sloop  of  war  Hornet,  Capt.  Lawrence,  captured 
the  British  sloop  of  war  Peacock,  Capt.  Peak,  who 
was  killed. 

York  (Upper  Canada)  taken  by  the  Americans  ;  Gen. 
Pike  killed,  April  27. 

'U.  S.  frigate  Chesapeake,  Capt.  Lawrence,  captured 
by  the  British  frigate  Shannon,  Capt.  Lawrence  kil 
led,  June  1. 

Gallant  defence  of  fort  Stephenson,  by  Major  Croghan, 
August  1. 

The  American  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  under  Com.  Perry, 
capture  the  British  fleet  under  Com.  Barclay,  Sep 
tember  10. 

Gen.  Harrison  defeats  the  British  and  Indians  under 
Gen.  Proctor  ;  Tecurnseh  killed*  October  5. 

Detroit  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans,. 

War  with  the  Creek  Indians;  March  26,  1814, 
Gen.  Jackson  obtains  a  decisive  victory  over  the 
Creeks ;  upwards  of  500  warriors  slain  at  the  Great 
Bend  of  the  Tallapoosa. 

1814  U.  S  frigate  Essex.  Capt.  Porter,  captured  by  a  supe 
rior  force,  March  28, 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE?  Xiii 

Port  Erie  taken  by  the  Americans,  July. 

Battle  of  Chippewa,  July  6. 

Battle  of  Niagara,  July  25. 

Washington  captured  and  burnt  by  the  British  under 
Gen,  Ross,  August  23. 

Attack  on  Baltimore  ;  Gen.  Ross  killed,  Sept.  12. 

Unsuccessful  attack  by  the  British,  under  Gen.  Drura- 
mond,  on  fort  Erie,  August  14. 

Castine  taken  by  the  British,  September  1. 

Com.  Macdonough  captures  the  British  fleet  on  Lake 
Champlain :  retreat  of  Gen.  Provost,  from  Platts- 
burg,  September  11. 

1815    Memorable  victory  of  Gen.  Jackson  over  the  British, 
before  New-Orleans,  January  8. 

Treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain,  signed  at  Ghent,  December  24,  ratified  by 
the  President  and  Senate,  February  17,  1815. 

Massacre  of  American  prisoners  at  Dartmoor,  Eng. 
April  6. 

War  declared  against    Algiers ;    Com.   Decatur  cap 
tures  the  Algerine  frigate  Mazouda,  June  17  ;    ar 
rives  with  a  squadron  before  Algiers,  and  compels 
the  Dey  to  a  treaty  of  Peace. 
1818    War  with  the  Seminole  Indians. 
1822   Com.  Porter  sent  against  the  Pirates  in  the  West  In 
dies, 


REMARKABLE  EVENTS. 

J587  Virginia  Dare,  born -the  first  child  of  Christian  pa 
rents  born  in  the  United  States. 

1608  John  Laydon,  married  to  Ann  Burras, — the  first  Chris 
tian  marriage  in  Virginia,  and  in  the  United  States. 

1610  Starving  time  in  Virginia,  of  nearly  500  colonists,  all 
perished  but  60,  in  the  course  of  six  months. 

1613  Rolfe,  an  Englishman,  married  Pocahontas,  daughter 
of  Powhattan  the  Indian  king. 

1616  Tobacco   first  cultivated  by   the   English   settlers  in 

Virginia. 

1617  Pocah.»ntas  di  -d  in  England,  aged  about  22. 

1618  A  great  pestilence  destroyed  most  of  the  Indians 

Narragansett  to  Penobscot 


ajT  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 

1619  20,000  pounds  of  Tobacco,  exported  from  Virginia  to 

England. 

1620  African  slaves  first  brought  into  Virginia  by  a  Dutch 

ship  and  sold  to  the  colonists. 

Peregrine  White,  the  first  English  child  born  in  New- 
England. 

1621  Edward  Winslow  and  Susanna  White,  married, — the 

first  Christian  marriage  in  New  England. 

1623  George   Sandys,  of  Virginia,  translated  Ovid's  Meta 

morphosis, — the  first,  literary  production  of  the  En 
glish  colonists  in  America. 

1624  The  first  cattle  brought  into  New  England  by  Edward 

Winslow,  agent  for  the  Plymouth  colony. 

1630  Gov.  Winthrop  first  abolished   the  custom  of  drinking 

healths. 

John  Billington  executed  for  murder, — the  first  exe 
cution  in  Plymouth  colony. 

1631  First  vessel  built  in  Massachusetts,  called  the  Blessing 

of  Bay,  launched  July  4. 

1632  Magistrates  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts,  first  cho 

sen  by  the  freemen  in  the  colony. 

The  magistrates  of  Massachusetts,  ordered  that  no  to 
bacco  should  be  used  publicly. 

The  General  Court  of  Plymouth  passed  an  act,  that 
whoever  should  refuse  the  office  of  Governor  should 
pay  a  fine  of  £20,  unless  he  was  chosen  two  years 
sucessively. 

1633  Virginia  enacted  laws  for  the  suppression  of  religious 

sectaries 

Messrs.  Cotton,  Hooker,    and  Stone,    three  eminent 
7    ministers,  arrived  at  Boston,  from  England. 
A  specimen    of  Rye.  first  brought  into    the  Court  of 

Massachusetts,  as  the  first  fruits  of  English  grain. 

1634  Roger  Williams,  minister  of  Salem,   banished  on  ac 

count  of  his  religious  tenets. 
First  merchant's  shop  in  Boston  opened. 

1635  Great  storm  of  wind  and   rain  in  New   England;  the 

tide  rose  twenty  feet  perpendicularly,  August  15. 

1636  The  Desire,  a  ship  of  120  tons,  built  at  Marblehead, 

the  first  American  ship  that  made  a  voyage  to  Eng 
land. 
The  first  court  in  Connecticut,  held  April  26. 

1637  Ann  Hutchinson  holds  lectures  in  Massachusetts  for 

the  propagation  of  her  peculiar  religious  sentiments, 
— stie  gains  many  adherents, 


CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE.  XV 

A  Synod  convened  at  Newtown,  Mass.,  the  first  Synod 
holden  in    America;   they  condemn    82  erroneous 
opinions,  which  had  been  propagated  in  New  Eng 
land. 
1638   Great  earthquake  in  New  England,  June  1. 

Two  tremendous  storms  in  August  and  December ;  the 
tide  rose  14  feet  above  the  spring  tides,  at  Narra- 
gansett,  and  flowed  twice  in  six  hours. 

Harvard  College,  Mass,  founded  ;  it  was  named  after 
the  Rev.  John  Harvard  one  of  its  principal  bene 
factors 

The  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company,  for 
med  at  Boston. 

Three  Englishmen  executed  by  the   government  of 

Plymouth  colony,  for  the  murder  of  an  Indian. 
)639    First  General  Election  in  Hartford,  Con.;  John  Haynes 
first  Governor. 

First  Baptist  Church  in  America  formed  at  Provi 
dence,  R.  I. 

Severe  tempest  and  rain,  Connecticut  river  rose  20 
feet  above  the  meadows,  March. 

First  Printing  in  North  America  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,, 
by  Samuel  Green ;  the  first  thing  printed  was  the 
Freeman's  oath. 

House  of  Assembly  established  in  Maryland. 

1640  The  General   Court  of  Massachusetts  prohibited  the 

use  of  Tobacco. 

1641  Severe  winter;  Boston  and  Chesapeake  bays  frozen ; 

Boston  bay  passable  for  carts,  horses,  &c.  for  five 
weeks. 

1642  The  New  England  ministers  invited  to  attend  the  As 

sembly  of  Divines,  at  Westminster,  Eng.;  but  they 
declined.  «" 

First  commencement  at  Harvard  College  ;  9  candid 
ates  took  the  degree  of  A.  B. 

1643  Union  of  the   colonies  of  Plymouth,    Massachusetts, 

Connecticut  and  New  Haven,  for  mutual  defence. 

1646  Mr.  Elliot  commenced  his  labors  among  the  Indians. 
The  Friends  or  Quakers  first  came  to  Massachusetts  ; 

laws  passed  against  them;  four  executed  in  1659. 

1647  First  influenza  mentioned  in  the  annals  of  America. 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts  passed  an  act  against  the 

Jesuits. 
First  general  assembly  of  Rhode  Islantf. 


'XVI  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE, 

Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  the  first  minister  in  Connecti 
cut,  died,  aged  61  years. 
1648    Laws  of  Massachusetts  first  Diluted. 

Margaret  Jones  of  Charlestown,  Mass,  executed  for 

witchcraft. 
"The  (Cambridge  Platform"  and  the  "Westminster 

Confession  of  Faith"  received  by  most  of  the  New 

England  churches. 
The  Congregational  Church  and  its  pastor  ordered  to 

depart  from  Virginia  by  the  Governor  of  that  colony. 
fr649   John  Winthrop,  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  and  the 

Rev.  Thomas  Shepard,  died. 
The  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  with  the  assistants, 

signed  a  declaration  against  men's  wearing   long 

hair,  as  unscriptural. 

1650  Indians  of  Martha's  Vineyard  Christianized. 
Constitution  of  Maryland  established. 

1651  The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  passed  laws  against 

extravagance  in  dress. 

1652  The    Province    of    Maine     taken    under   the    pro 

tection  of  Massachusetts. 

The  first  mint  for  coining  money  inN.  England,  erected. 
John  Cotton,  a  celebrated  minister   in  Boston,  died, 

aged  68. 

1654    College  at  New  Haven  projected  by  Mr.  Davenport 
Gov.  Haynes,  of  Connecticut,  died. 

1656  Miles  Standish,  the  hero  of  New  England,  died. 

1657  Disputes  concerning  Baptism  in  New  England. 
Gov.  Eaton,  of  New  Haven,  died. 

1658  Earthquake  in  New  England. 

1660  At  this  time  the  colonies  of   Virginia,  New  England, 

and  Maryland,  are  supposed  to  contain  no  more  than 
80,000  inhabitants. 
Goffe  and  Whalley,  the  Regicides  arrived  in  Boston. 

1661  Society  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the  Indians 

of  New  England  Incorporated  by  Charles  II. 
1.662   Charter  of  Connecticut,  granted  by  King  Charles   II. 
The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  appointed  two  licen- 

cers  of  the  press. 
The  Assembly  of  Maryland  established  a  mint  in  that 

colony. 

1663  Great  earthquake  in  Canada,  and  New  England. 

1664  Elliott's  Indian  Bible  printer!  at  Cambridge*  Mass.,  the 

first  Bible  printed  in  America. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  If  jj 

• 

A  large  Comet  seen  in  New  England. 

$665    New-Haven  and  Connecticut  united  into  one  colony. 
At  this  time  the  Militia  of  Mass  consisted  of  4,400  men. 
The  government  of  Rhode-Island  passed  an  order  to 

outlaw  Quakers,  for  refusing  to  bear  arms. 
1666    The  Buccaaiers  of  America  began  their  depredations 
in  the  West  Indies. 

1672  Laws  of  Connecticut  printed ;  every  family  ordered  to 

have  a  law  book. 

1673  New  England  contained  at  this  time  about  120,000  in 

habitants. 
1675    Virginiacontainedat  this  time  about  50,000  inhabitants. 

1680  New-Hampshire  separated  from  Massachusetts.     The 

first  Assembly  met  at  Portsmouth. 
A  great, Comet  seen  in  New  England;  it  occasioned 
much  alarm. 

1681  Thomas  May  hew  died  at  Martha's  Vineyard,  aged  93. 

1682  William  Penn  held  a  treaty  with  the  Indians. 

1683  The  Governor  of  Virginia   ordered    that  no  printing- 

press  should  be  used  in  that  colony,  "  on  any  occasion 
whatever." 
2686    First  Episcopal  society  formed  in  Boston. 

1687  Charter  of  Con.  hid  from  Andros,   in  a  hollow  oak,  and 

saved. 

M.  de  la  Salle,  the  discoverer  of  Louisiana,  killed  by 
his  own  men,  in  a  mutiny. 

1688  New  York  and  the  Jersies  added  to  the  jurisdiction  of 

New  England. 
Andros    appointed  Captain  General  and  Vice-Admirai 

over  the  whole. 
Opposition  to  Andros's  administration  in  Mass. 

1689  William  &  Mary  proclaimed  in  the  colonies.     Andros 

is  seized  and  sent  a  prisoner  to  England. 
Rev.  J.  Elliot,  "  apostle  of  the  Indians,"  died, 

1690  Bills  of  credit  issued  by  the  government  of  Mass. ;  the 

first  ever  issued  in  the  '  tn^rican  colonies. 
The  W/.ale  Fishery,  at  ISantucket,  commenced. 

1691  The  Assembly   of  Virginia  obtain  of  the  crown   the 

charter  of  William  and  Mary  College,  so  named  from 
the  English  sovereigns. 

1692  19  persons  executed  for  witchcraft,  in  Massachusetts. 
Edmund  Andros,   the    tyrant  of  New  England,  made 

Governor  of  Virginia. 

Massachusetts  and  Plymouth  colonies  united. 
4 


XViii  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 

Sir  William  Phips  arrived,  as  Governor  of  Mass, 
the  new  charter. 

1693  Episcopacy  introduced  into  New-York. 

1694  Legislature  of  Mass,  caused  the  names  of  drunkards,  in 

the  several  towns,  to  be  posted  up  in  the  public  houses,, 
and  imposed  a  fine  for  giving  them  entertainment. 

1695  Rice  introduced  into  Carolina. 

1696  Thirty  Indian  churches  in  New  England,  at  this  time. 

1697  Severe  winter  ;  the  Delaware  frozen. 

1698  Seat  of  government  in  Virginia  removed  to  Williams- 

burgh,  the  streets  of  which  were  laid  out  in  the  form 
of  a  W,  in  honor  of  the  reigning  King  of  Eng.  William. 

1699  Assembly  of  Maryland  removed  to  Annapolis. 
Yellow  Fever  in  Philadelphia. 

1700  Legislature  of  New- York  made  a  law  to  hang  every 

Popish  priest,  who  should  come  into  the  province. 
262,000  inhabitants  in  the  American  colonies  at  the 
beginning  of  this  century. 

1701  Yale  College  received  its  charter. 

1702  First  emission  of  paper  currency  in  Carolina. 

First  Episcopal  Churches  in  N.  Jersey  and  R.  Island. 

1703  The  Church  of  Eng.  established  by  law  in  Carolina. 

1704  First  Newsjmpcr  in   America   published   in    Bostdri, 

called  the  Boston  News  Letter. 

1706  The  Legislature  of  Con.  exempted  the  ministers  of  the 

Gospel  from  taxation  in  that  colony. 

1707  Episcopal  Church  formed  at  Stratford  ;  the  first  formed 

in  Connecticut. 

1708  Saybrook  Platform  formed  by  a  Synod  of  ministers 

under  the  authority  of  the  State  of  Connecticut. 

1709  First  issuing  of  paper  currency  in  N.  Y.,  N.  J.,  arid  Con. 

1717  Greatest  snow  ever  known,    February. 

Yale  College  removed  from  Saybrook  to  New-Haven. 
Bellamy,  a  pirate,  wrecked  with  his  fleet  on  Cape  Cod. 

1718  Piracy  suppressed  in  the  West  Indies. 

William  Penn,  the  founder  of  Pennsylvania,  died  iu 
England,  aged  74. 

1719  Carolina  throws  off  the  proprietary  government. 
First  Presbyterian  church  in  New-York  founded. 
Northern  lights  appeared  in  New  England,  Dec.  llth. 
Lotteries  suppressed  by  the  Legislature  of  Mass. 

1721    First  Inoculation    for    the  Small  Pox  in  America  at 

Boston. 
Etfha  Yale,  the  Benefactor  of  Yale  College,  died  in  Er^, 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  XI* 

1*723   Twenty-six  pirates  executed  at  Newport,  R.  I. 
Paper  currency  in  Pennsylvania,  first  issued. 

1724  The  sect  of  Dunkers  took  its  rise  in  Pennsylvania. 

1725  Synods  abolished  in  New  England. 

First  newspaper  printed  at  N.York  by  William  Bradford. 

1727  Great  Earthquake  in  New  England,  Oct   29. 

1728  Drought  and  hurricane  in  Carolina  ;  Yellow  Fever  in 

Charleston. 
Rev.Cotton  Mather,  a  distinguished  writer,  died,  aged  6§. 

1731  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  a  Theological  writer,  died. 

1732  Corn  and  Tobacco  made  a  legal  tender,  in  Maryland. 

Corn  at  20  pence  pr.  bushel ;  tobacco  at  1  penny  pr.  Ib, 
George.   Washington  born  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Virginia,  Feb.  22d. 

1733  First  Masonic  Lodge  held  in  Boston. 

1737  Earthquake  in  New- Jersey. 

1738  College  at  Princeton,  N.  j.  founded. 

1740    George  Whitefield,  a  celebrated  preacher,  first  arrives 
in  America.  He  died  inNewburyport,  Mass.Sep.1770. 
Hard  winter  ;  severe  cold. 

1.741  Four  white  persons  executed,  13  negroes  burnt,  18 
hanged,  and  great  numbers  transported,  for  a  con 
spiracy  to  burn  the  city  of  New- York. 

'1745    Indigo  plant  discovered  in  South- Carolina. 

2746  First  ordination  among  the  Separate  ministers  in  New 
England.  About  30  congregations  of  this  order  were 
formed  from  1740  to  1750. 

£749  Severe  drought  m  New  England  ;  causes  great  distress ; 
some  of  the  inhabitants  sent  to  England  for  hay. 

1750    Mass,  enacts  a  law  against  theatrical  entertainments. 

1752    JVew  Style  introduced  into  Britain  and  America ;  Sept. 

2d  reckoned  !4th. 

Charleston,  S.  C.  laid  under  water  by  a  tempest,  Sept. 
Dr.  Franklin  makes  his  Electrical  experiments. 

1754  Convention  at  Albany  of  delegates  from  seven  of  the 
colonies,  agree  on  a  plan  of  union — never  carried 
into  effect. 

£755    Great  Earthquake  in  North  America,  Nov.  18. 

1758  Jonathan    Edwards,    a   celebrated   Theologian,    died, 

aged  55. 

1759  Lotteries  granted  by  the  Legislature  of  Mass,  for  the 

be iiefjtf  of  public  works. 

1761    Violent  whirlwind  near  Charleston,  S.  C. 
£762    Severest  Drought  known   in  America.   rw»  rain  fr«n 

May  to  September. 


XX  CHRONOLOGIC  &L  TABLED 

1764    Spanish  Potatoe  introduced  into  iNew  England. 

Medical  Lectures  first  read  in  Philadelphia. 
1769    Dartmouth  College,  N.  Hampshire,  receives  its  charter; 
It  was  named  from  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth,  its  bene 
factor. 
American     Philosophical     Society,    at    Philadelphia, 

founded. 

1771    R.  Sandcman,  founder  of  the  SandemaniaBs,  died,  at 
Danbury,  Con. 

1774  The  Shakers  first  arrived  from  England ;  they  settle 

near  Albany. 
First  Congress,  at  Philadelphia. 

1775  Peyton   Randolph,  first  President  of  Congress,  dieda 

aged  52. 

The  first  line  of  Post  Offices  established ;  Dr.  Franklin 
appointed  Post  Master. 

1776  Declaration  of  Independence,  July  4. 

1777  Vermont  declares  herself  an  Independent  State. 

1780  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences  incorporated. 
Dark  day  in  the  Northern  States,  19th  of  May ;  candles 

necessary  at  noon. 

1781  Massachusetts  Medical  Society  incorporated. 

1782  First   English,  Bible  printed  in  America,  by  Robert 

Aiken,  of  Philadelphia. 

The  America  launched  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Nov.  5th> 
the  first  74  ever  built  in  America. 

1783  Slavery  abolished  in  Massachusetts. 
1783 — 4  Severe  Winter,  great  floods  in  March. 

1784  Empress  of  China,  a  ship  of  360  tons,  sailed  from  New- 

York  for  Canton  ;  the  first  voyage  from  the  United 
States  to  China. 

Anthony  Benezet,  a  distinguished  philanthropist,  died. 

The  towns  of  Hartford,  New-Haven,  Middletown,  New- 
London,  and  Norwich,  in  Con.  constituted  cities  by 
the  Legislature. 

1785  First  instance  of  Instrumental  Music  in  the  Congrega 

tional  Churches  in  Boston, 

1786  Shay's  Insurrection  in  Massachusetts. 
Universalist  Church  founded  in  Boston. 

178&   Federal  Constitution  ratified.and  became  the  Constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States. 

1789    George  Washington  inaugurated  first  P.zsident,  April 

30th. 

Convention  of  Episcopal  Clergy  in  Philadelphia;  the 
first  Episcopal  Convention  in  A»ieri«a> 


«MRONOLOGI«AL  TABLED  X3fei 

Dr.  Carrol,  of  Maryland,   consecrated  Bishop  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church ;  the  first  Catholic  Bishop  in 
the  United  States. 
1790    Dr.  Franklin  died,  aged  85. 

1792  National  Mint  established  at  Philadelphia. 

1793  Yellow  Fever  in  Philadelphia,  4,000  persons  died. 
John    Hancock,    Henry   Laurens,    Arthur   Lee,   and 

Roger  Sherman,  died  this  year. 

1794  Whiskey  Insurrection  in  Pennsylvania. 
Destructive  frost  in  New  England,  May  24th. 

1796  Detroit  given  up  by  the  British  to  the  United  States. 

1797  John  Adams  elected  President. 

1798  Yellow  Fever  in  Philadelphia. 

1799  Washington  died,  aged  68. 

1800  Seat  of  government  transferred  from  Philadelphia  to 

Washington. 

The  Inoculation  of  the  Kine  Pock  introduced  into 
America  by  Professor  Waterhouse,  of  Cambridge, 
Massachusetts. 

1801  Thomas  Jefferson  elected  Presidentof  the  United  States. 

1802  Merino  sheep  introduced  into  the  United  States,  by 

Mr.  Livingston  and  Gen.  Humphreys. 

1803  Louisiana  purchased  of  the  French  Government,  for 

15  millions  of  dollars. 

1804  Gen.  Hamilton  killed  in  a  duel,  by  Col.  Aaron  Burr, 

Vice  President  of  the  United  Stales. 
1807    First  Steamboat  built  in  this  country. 

Col.  A.  Burr  arrested  on  charge  of  Treason. 

Several  Meteoric  stones  fell  in  the  County  of  Fairfield, 

(on    one  weighing  35  pounds,  Dec,  4tU. 
1809    James  Madison  elected  President. 
1811    Richmond  Theatre  burnt,  Dec.  26  ;  many  persona  lost 

their  lives. 
1814    Meeting  of  the  Hartford  Convention,  Dec.  15. 

1816  American  Bible  Society  formed,  May  8th. 
Colonization  Society  formed. 

Cold  Summer.     Frost  every  month  in  the  year,  in  the 

Northern  States. 
Bank  of  the  Unitt-.d  States,  with  a  capital  of  35  millions 

of  dollars,  incorporated  in  April. 

1817  Grand  Canal  in  the  State  of  New- York  commenced. 
James  M  ;nroe  elected  President. 

1820  First  M   nner's  Chu  -oh  erected  <  t  New-York,, 

1821  Florida  ceded  to  the  United  States. 


^HRONOLOGICAL 

1824  Gen.  La.  Fayette  arrived  at  New- York. 

1825  John  Quincj  Adams  elected  President. 

1 826  Thomas  Jefferson  and  John  Adams,  two  Ex-Presio'emg  „ 

died  Jnly  4th,  on  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  American 
Independence. 


•• 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRAD 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  belo 


APR 


3  1956  u| 


JUN4   1957    (| 


REC'D  LD 

FEB141961 


REC'D  UO 
DEC  "  6  M 

22Jan'59SBU 
RZC'D  LD 


JAN  8     1959 

LD  21-100m-ll,'49(B7146sl6)476 


NitRiiBRARYLOAN 
FEB  1  2  Q86 
IV-  OF  C4UF..  BERK. 


'02722 


M32S820 


